Law of Numbers
by LovinRob
Summary: Eleazar Whitlock is an up and coming defense attorney, handsome and well sought out. The only problem is that he's been living a lie for a greater part of his life but will a chance encounter with a handsome accountant change all that? Can Liam make him see that living a lie is not a life worth living? Love is always too beautiful to be kept in a closet! A spinoff from, A Dry Heat
1. Chapter 1

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So let's get this show on the road, shall we?**

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**Chapter 1**

I walk through my office before anyone else arrives. I always get here early and stay late. That's what you need to do to make partner. No one ever makes it in the law profession by not giving up everything else in their life. I took this job at Montgomery, Wilson, and Smith almost three years ago and am rapidly approaching partner status. I have had to work extremely hard to gain their trust. They didn't know anything about me aside from my resume and my court record which was impressive. So they were a little surprised when I walked through the door on my first day, expecting someone that looked entirely different then what they got. They had seen my name and knew of my family, well my father's family. I can't really call them my family since they never accepted me in the first place. Hell, if they could have figured out a way to legally change my name they would have.

My father was William F. Whitlock. He was the son of a well-known cattle rancher while my mother, Olivia Martinez, was the daughter of the lead housekeeper at the ranch. Their affair had been torrid or at least that is what I heard from my mom's relatives. His family would never talk of such things. They tried to deny that there was even a relationship until my mom turned up pregnant. The way mom tells it, dad was ecstatic and asked to marry her immediately. But his family went ballistic, started calling her a whore and fired her on the spot. My grandfather sent my dad to a friend's ranch in El Paso, 700 miles away from my mom. In the 1950's there was no easy way to stay in touch other than phone or mail. Conveniently my grandfather made sure that the foreman at that particular ranch kept my father busy from morning until night. My father wrote my mother regularly, professing his love for her while also sending her everything he earned. I've read the letters so I know that part is true. He was kept away from her for the entire pregnancy but when he received the telegram from one of my uncles telling him she had me he quit and took off. My mother intended on giving me my grandfather's full name but my father was having none of that. He wanted his son to at least carry his last name. All hell broke loose as the family fought over the legitimacy of my heritage. My father didn't care and married my mother anyway; unfortunately he was then disowned by his parents. He found work and supported me and mom but it wasn't enough so he took another job on a ranch outside of San Antonio, coming back every weekend to be with us. I don't remember much of him other than he always seemed happy. He looked like a typical cowboy, always in jeans and a cowboy hat, his honey blond hair hung to his shoulders and his green eyes always expressed adoration and love for mom and I. He was tall and thin, much like myself and he seemed to have a carefree spirit, unlike me, who tends to be way too serious for my own good.

"Good morning, Mr. Whitlock." Sophie says as I pass her desk.

I give her a smile, "I'll be in my office most of the day."

"Don't forget that the auditors are coming today. I think there are three of them so they will be using the conference room."

I nod, "Alright. They don't need me do they?"

She shrugs, "I don't think so."

I nod again, "Thanks, Sophie."

I walk to my office and grab the file for the case I will be going to court for on Monday and then pull out several case books, reviewing previous decisions and lining everything up for the trial. I am poring over case after case trying to make sure I have every base covered. I want no surprises. The day flies by and I realize that I haven't eaten yet. I glance at the clock and see it is 6:20 p.m. I'll go grab something to eat across the street and then finish up. When I exit the elevator on the first floor there are three men sitting in the waiting area talking. Huh! Those must be the auditors but by the time I come back they are gone.

The next day is much of the same except I am having a new desk brought in so I need to leave my office for a little bit. I walk towards the conference room forgetting I can't use it and sigh as I bring my files to the small waiting area near the window down the hall from my office. I cross my legs and continue reading, hoping I can have the solace of my office soon.

"Can I sit here?" A male voice with just a hint of an Irish accent says.

I look up to see a stunningly handsome man. My throat is suddenly as dry as the desert. I nod as he smiles and my heart starts beating extra fast. What the hell is going on with me? That voice in my head that I tend to silence all the time is screaming at full volume. My god! Just look at him! He seems to be about my height so maybe 6'0" or 6'1" with light brown hair that almost seems red depending on how the light hits it; his eyes are as green as the spring grass and utterly mesmerizing. I can tell that he must work out because there is definition visible underneath his nice suit. He looks younger than me though by maybe six years or so. My eyes hungrily take him in and I feel a stirring within me, stronger than I have ever felt before. He takes a sip of his coffee and I notice that he is checking me out as well. When his eyes meet mine and he realizes that I have caught him staring, this wonderfully sexy shade of red starts forming around his ears and down his neck.

"I'm Eleazar Whitlock." I say reaching my hand out to him.

He smiles and takes my hand in his, "Liam O'Reilly."

His hand is smooth and soft and I am having strong visuals of what they would feel like if they were moving across my body. He looks down at our still joined hands and I quickly let go, realizing I have been holding it longer than what would be deemed appropriate. I shake my head at my idiocy. I need to get away from here even though the voice in my head is slamming its fists against my brain telling me to stay put, to see where this goes, but I can't. I can't see where this will go. I reach down and start gathering my papers and in my haste I drop a file on the floor. He reaches for it and hands it to me and although I am generally really good at interpreting what the strengths and weakness of people are, I simply can't do that with him. I don't know what I see in his eyes but I do know that I have a strong desire to lean over and kiss him. My eyes widen as that thought crosses my mind and I quickly stand, snatching the file from his hand and taking off towards my office, slamming the door behind me, his eyes and touch still lingering with me.

"What the fuck!" I mutter as I lean against my door.

I have never felt this strongly about anyone before. That immediate 'I want to get lost in you' reaction has never been present in my life. I have always focused on my schooling and career, trying to be the first and the best at everything I do. I have never had time to really have a relationship with anyone. I suppose I have dated Carmen the most. She is very beautiful with long dark hair and olive skin. My mom keeps hinting at marriage and children and thinks Carmen is the perfect match for me. I will admit she looks good standing next to me but I just don't feel that way for her. I close my eyes and run my hands though my hair.

I can almost feel the softness of his lips on mine and the hard planes of his chest against my bare skin. I open my eyes, a strained expression on my face. I'm not gay; he's just a good looking man, most people would have that response. It doesn't mean anything more. Yeah right! Who am I kidding? I can trounce around with Carmen on my arm to all the firms functions but that doesn't make me straight. I can even fuck her at the end of the night but that doesn't make me straight especially since I picture myself with some green eyed God instead of her. I can even say that since I have never actually been with a man before that I am straight. But the reality is I am too scared to follow through with any desires I have for men. It's 1982 and I live in fucking Houston, Texas. I work for the largest law firm in the state. I am a rising star in said firm. I am sure there are gay attorneys out there but certainly none of them are out in the open. And this is the one time in my life that I don't want to be the first.

Alright, I need a plan. I walk to my desk and sit down, running my hand over the smooth surface of my new desk, imagining 'him' sitting there, his shirt undone, exposing his tight and firm stomach as he slowly removes his cock from his dress slacks and begins touching himself... Fuck! I shake my head and stand up, pacing the room. I will just avoid him. They are only here for a couple of weeks. I can hide out in my office during that time. I work late and come in early every day. Honestly, what are the chances I will run into him again? I smile and lick my lips as my heart starts beating rapidly. But… I want to see him again.

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**A/N… so hmm, they meet, instant attraction, one open, one not… this is a spinoff of my story A Dry Heat but since it is backstory you really don't need to have read ADH to understand what goes on in this one. But the more I wrote ADH the more I fell in love with these two characters, and as I developed their backstory I decided, with a lot of encouragement from my slashh00r beta amandac3 to write it. So that being said, this is my first slash fic so bear with me if you are a slash veteran... LOL... Ultimately though I just believe that love is love and don't really see much of a difference between how a man would feel for his male partner versus a female partner. **

**A word on posting. This is a 30 chapter story. I will post one chapter a day throughout the month of April and then the epilogue on May 1****st****. This first chapter was posted early to get the story started. Chapter two will post on April 2nd. I have also created a blog for this story that I will post pictures and videos on. The blog can be found at lawofnumbers-lovinrob dot blogspot dot com so go check it out. **

**Okay, folks. Hit me up with a review and let me know how you like it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So we have first contact. Seems like the attraction is mutual but can Eleazar resist?**

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**Chapter 2**

It's been four days and I have successfully avoided him. Well, at least at work. He has invaded my dreams every night. His green eyes haunt me, mock me. It's as if they know what I am, who I am and not who I pretend to be. I have court on Monday so I won't be in the office at all which will work to my advantage so I only need to get through today and I am home free. I lean back in my chair and cross my arms behind my head, closing my eyes as my mind begins to wander.

_He's on his knees with his mouth wrapped around my head, sucking and licking. He feels so good as my hands move to his hair, moving him further over my cock._

"Eleazar." Mr. Montgomery says as he steps through my open door.

I practically fall out of my chair but recover and rise quickly.

"Sleeping on the job?" He says with a chuckle.

"No sir, never, I was just thinking about something…" I trail off as the star of my fantasies steps through the door.

He is wearing a light gray suit with a black stripped tie. He catches my expression and smirks before his eyes rake over my body, stopping at the now prominent bulge in my pants. His breath hitches and he quickly looks to the ground, drawing his lip into his mouth, while I nervously button up my suit jacket, trying to hide my obvious arousal. Mr. Montgomery, oblivious to anything else, turns to the three men.

"Eleazar, this is Mr. Johnson," he says pointing to a portly man in a pin stripped suit, "And Mr. Jackson," he says motioning to the man in the black suit next to him and finally he turns to the fodder of my dreams, "And this is…"

Liam reaches his hand out to me, "We've already met." I take his hand in mine and feel my breath catch in my throat, "It's good to see you again, Eleazar," he says with a brilliant smile and I swear his eyes are sparkling.

"It's good to see you as well, Mr. O'Reilly." My voice comes out a little cracked but I figure if I can keep it formal then that will help. But my God, the way my name rolls off his lips.

His brows furrow somewhat as he withdraws his hand, sticking it in his pocket. He looks hurt and I want to blurt out 'I'm sorry' but I don't. Instead I look at Mr. Montgomery.

"How can I help you sir?"

"Oh, it's nothing; they had mentioned that you were the only one they hadn't met yet so I brought them to you. I told them you are my best attorney and that anything related to you would be impeccable," he says with pride.

"Thank you, Sir." We stand awkwardly for a moment.

"Alright, well, I know you probably want to get back to your case so we'll leave you to it." Mr. Montgomery says as he taps Liam on the shoulder.

Liam looks over at him and gives him a halfhearted smile before glancing at me quickly. I know we only look at each other for a moment but it feels like an eternity. And just as quickly he is gone. I start pacing in my office, washing my hands over my face. I just keep seeing his face. He is trying to tell me something. Is he interested in me… that way? Oh shit! I walk back to the door and see that the four of them are at the conference room door. He is laughing at something Mr. Montgomery says and I can't help but grin. Just then he sneaks a glance over his shoulder, directly at me and gives me a breathtaking smile that stops my heart. I smile in return and then look down, stepping back into my office.

I don't see him for the rest of the day but I have had a hard time concentrating. My mind keeps wandering to him and wondering what it would be like to follow through for once. What would his lips feel like? Would he feel good pressed up against me? I try desperately to read the case files before me but everything is just blurring together and nothing makes sense anymore. My whole world feels out of sync and for the first time in my life I am confused and unsure of myself. I stand with a sigh and walk to my window, running my fingers through my hair as I take in the activity going on below me. My stomach growls slightly and I realize I have once again not eaten all day. I need to quit doing that. My fingers go to my temples as I contemplate getting something for dinner. Maybe food will help me focus on this case.

"Want to grab a bite to eat?" I hear that familiar voice say at the door.

I turn and face him and lean my back against the window, shoving my hands in my pockets. He steps inside, holding his jacket over his arm. His tie is already loose and his top button is undone. He looks sinful.

"I better stay. I have court on Monday and I still have some dispositions to go through."

He watches me for a moment and gets a mischievous look on his face as he starts walking towards me and then stops and sits on the edge of my desk. I close my eyes and shake my head as the images that ran through my mind on Monday creep to the forefront. When my lids reopen he is smiling widely and a couple more buttons are undone on his shirt, revealing a scattering of chest hair.

"Well, you have to 'eat' something," he says running his fingers through his hair.

My breathing actually hitches and I swallow thickly. Did he just allude to something sexual? I stand there dumbfounded; no words are able to form as I see myself on my knees, his hard cock in my mouth. I hear laughter and glance at him just as he stands. He literally struts to the door like some model and then stops, turning slightly, just enough for me to see his back flex. He gives me another breathtaking smile and I swear my cock starts to stir.

"Maybe another time," his voice is laced with innuendo and seduction.

"Yeah, another time." I find myself saying in a voice that is more whimper than anything else.

The minute he is out the door I lean back against the window and adjust my cock which always seems to get hard whenever he's around. I walk back to my desk and run my fingers through my hair before getting back to work. No more than thirty minutes later I hear the elevator door ding and then footsteps coming towards my office. In walks Liam carrying a plastic bag in one hand and a paper sack in the other. He is perfectly disheveled with his tie completely off and sticking out of his pocket and his shirt pulled out of his pants. He smiles brilliantly at me.

"You did say another time and since you seem to work nonstop I figured I would… improvise," he says holding up the bags

"You brought me food?" I ask with a beaming smile.

He arches his brow with a sly grin on his face as he holds up the other bag, "And beverages."

He sets the bags down on the little table in my office and then glances at me, motioning with his head for me to join him at the table. I chuckle and take a seat in one of the chairs. Flinging his jacket off, he drapes it over the other chair and then pulls out a six pack of Guinness. Taking one he pops the top off before handing it to me. I take a long sip, closing my eyes and swallowing deeply. It's been a while since I had a beer and this is good. When I open my eyes he is staring at me with his mouth parted slightly. He takes a quick breath and turns to the food containers and hands me one.

"I hope you like Carnitas 'cause that's what I got," he says with a shaky voice.

I laugh, "I'm half Mexican. I love all Mexican food, probably stuff you wouldn't even touch." I say as I flip open the container and pick up a piece of meat and pop it in my mouth, licking my fingers of the juice. Not as good as mom's but still good.

"Fuck." I hear him mutter under his breath but when I look at him he turns to his food and starts to put a little bit of everything in his tortilla. I am fascinated watching the precision in which he works. He definitely has some kind of system.

"Thanks, Liam. No one has ever brought me food before." I say sincerely as I toss another slice of meat in my mouth.

He grins, "Ahhh, so you do remember my name," he says as he looks up from his masterpiece.

I nod and take another long sip of my beer.

"So, are you from here?" He asks as he opens his mouth wide to take in the monstrous burrito he just made.

I hold my beer to my lips unable to move as I watch him eat. It's like my mind immediately goes back to visions of my cock sliding in and out of his mouth. When I don't answer he looks up at me, still chewing.

"Umm, no, I grew up in Corpus Christi. I went to college in Austin and then took this job here about three years ago." I say as he takes another bite of food, licking around his lips, having no idea what he's doing to me. Strike that. He knows exactly what he's doing. "How about you?"

He takes a sip of his beer and then shakes his head, "Nah, I grew up in the Northside of Dublin. I was a part of this foreign exchange student thing so my junior and senior year in high school I stayed in Dallas with this really nice family. I ended up liking it so much that I went to college out there."

"Wow, that's pretty nice. Do you miss Ireland?"

"I do. It's a beautiful country but I go back every year so I always feel connected."

We continue to eat and visit about all sorts of things ranging from sports, always a safe and manly topic, to money, another safe and masculine subject and finally work. I tell him about law school and what I do for the firm while he tells me about how he got into his profession. Apparently he is the go to guy for fortune 500 companies, knowing the ins and outs of corporate finances and even some corporate law which I must say impresses me. By the time we are done eating and each finishing up our second beers we are both feeling pretty relaxed.

There is silence for a moment and he glances at me with a look that says he isn't sure if he should broach a particular topic, his forehead scrunches together and then he leans back slightly, crossing his legs.

"So, are you married?" He asks, a serious expression on his face.

"Much to my mother's dismay, no, I'm not married." I say with a laugh, "Are you?"

He grins, "No, but my mom doesn't expect me to be either," he says chuckling.

I look at him strangely and he grins, before taking another sip of his beer. We sit in silence for a few minutes, watching each other as I finish off my beer. I reach for another one and then pop the top off it and hand it to him like he did for me. He smiles and quickly downs the rest of his beer before taking the one from me. In the process his fingers gently graze mine and I feel a surge go through me. I grab the last beer, flipping the top off, taking a quick swig.

"So are you dating anyone?" I finally ask.

He shakes his head, "No. You?"

I shake my head and smile, oddly happy that there isn't anyone in his life.

"Do you have any kids?" He asks with a cock of his brow as he takes a long sip of his beer.

I laugh, "No. How about you?"

"No."

"Well, now that we got vitals out of the way why don't we tackle something light, like, oh I don't know, equal rights in the workplace, race relations," I grin, "or how about the cold war, that's nice and mellow." I say with a cocky smile.

He stares at me with his mouth gaping. I chuckle and set my beer down before bringing my finger underneath his chin and closing his mouth, allowing my thumb to trace over his bottom lip. His eyes close immediately and he lets out a light breath. I don't know what comes over me but before I realize what I am doing my lips are touching his. He wastes no time returning my kiss. It is gentle and passionate at the same time. His lips mold to mine perfectly and when he parts them I deepen it, feeling my whole body erupt in flames. I need more, so much more. Without hesitation I pull him towards me and onto my lap. He lets out a deep growl within his throat as he immediately grinds his cock against mine. Oh God! I can't contain the noise that emanates from me as my hands take hold of his hair, holding him close so that he can't bring his mouth from mine. He feels so good I think I could come on the spot. I pull him impossibly close to me as my tongue explores his mouth, circling his as we continue to grind against each other.

His hands entwine in my hair as his kiss becomes more fervent. I can't get enough of him. He feels perfect and right. I run my hands up and down his back and can feel his muscles rippling underneath the thin layer of his shirt. I literally have no idea what's possessed me but my hands find their way under his shirt as my fingers gently caress his smooth skin. He starts whimpering and I can feel his heart racing. Emboldened by the reaction I am getting from him I move my hands down his back and settle them on his ass, kneading his cheeks as I involuntarily thrust my hips against him, rubbing his rock hard cock against my own steel rod.

"Oh fuck." He mutters as he releases his grip on my hair and moves his hands to my pants.

He quickly undoes my belt and is unzipping my pants before I register what's happening. My eyes shoot open as his hand touches my flesh. I gasp as reality sets in and my hands grip his, stopping his action as I pull away from him. His face is flush and his lips are a beautiful shade of red. His eyes open and he looks confused. I move quickly and in a panic, practically push him off of me as I stand. Zipping and buckling my pants, I immediately start pacing my office. What the fuck am I doing?

"It's alright." I hear him say as he comes up behind me.

He rests his forehead against the back of my head and brings his hands over my chest. He moves them languidly over me until they settle on my belt buckle. His body is touching mine and I can feel his hardness pressed up against my lower back as he starts kissing along the nape of my neck, moving against me rhythmically.

"You are so handsome and very, very, sexy," he says as he moves his hand over my rising cock. "Eleazar," he purrs against my ear, "I want you so bad right now."

My breathing picks up as he starts stroking me through my pants. He then lowers himself slightly so he can grind his cock against my ass as his ministrations on my cock escalate. I can feel myself rising to his touch. Oh God! I can't do this.

"You should go." I say through ragged breaths and feel his body stiffen behind me as he stops moving against me.

"Is that what you want?" His voice is low and husky and sexy as hell.

He runs his tongue along my ear and I can't help but tilt my head slightly as he starts kissing along my neck causing my body to pebble in response. His hands travel up my chest, touching me gently where he places one palm over my rapidly beating heart and allows the other one to move languidly up and over my Adam's apple and then along my cheek, tilting my head even further. He brings his mouth to my jaw, kissing slowly, sensually as he holds me in position. My body is betraying me as I let out some sort of whimpered moan. I know I have to stop this before I do something I will regret but in reality I don't want to stop. He feels so good that I am actually torn on what to do. I swallow thickly, unable to answer his question but nod slightly.

"Thanks for dinner but, umm, I have work that I need to do. You really need to go." I say in a hard and crisp voice.

He lets out a loud breath and releases me. He doesn't say anything but walks briskly to the chairs and grabs his jacket, slipping it on. As he heads to the door I make my way behind my desk and sit down, trying to maintain some form of composure. When he gets to the doorway he stops and turns abruptly.

"Did I misinterpret something?" He asks raising his voice slightly. He looks pissed which doesn't help my resolve because it makes him incredibly sexy.

"I made a mistake. I'm sorry." I say crossing my hands on the table, "Please go."

He stares at me, hurt and anger on his face before he narrows his eyes. He then turns and bolts out of my office and a few moments later I distinctly hear what sounds like a hand hitting something. I get to the doorway quickly and see that his palm is resting on the elevator door. When it opens he storms inside. I sigh and walk back to my desk. I try to focus on my case but all I can think about are piercing green eyes, soft lips pressed against mine and strong hands touching me.

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**A/N… Eh, next! Poor Eleazar, how confusing to feel that strongly for someone you keep telling yourself you can't want. Of course Liam was pulling out all the stops. Speaking of that, poor Liam, he really thought he was getting a little something something but got the brakes pulled. **

**Alrighty folks, see ya tomorrow. Don't forget to review. Oh, I also threw some pictures on the blog so go check em out.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So what will Eleazar do now that he's tasted the forbidden fruit? Hell, I'd go for it but that's just me…LOL**

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**Chapter 3**

After an hour of unsuccessful concentration I called it a night. There was no point as I couldn't get Liam out of my head. The minute I walk into my condo I head straight for the shower, hoping the heat will do something for my frame of mind. As I let the scalding water hit my body I rest my forehead against the wall, breathing in deeply. My fingers trace along my lips where I can still feel the remnants of his kiss. Letting out a soft sigh I close my eyes as my hand moves down my torso and wraps around my fully erect penis. I remember what his hand felt like when it touched my flesh and let out a low whimper. Why did I stop him? I shut my eyes tighter as I grip the base of my cock and move my hand up to my head where I squeeze and pump rapidly, wishing it wasn't my hand on me but his. After only three quick strokes, I spurt cum against the wall, muttering his name, and wishing he was here right now.

I wake the next morning and decide that I need to focus solely on work so that's just what I do. I spend all of Saturday and Sunday at the office. It's now Monday and I have court today so I will be out of my office and away from any chance of running into him. I have come to the conclusion that I will avoid him the rest of the week. I can do that and then he will be gone and I can go on with my life. Hell, maybe I need to kick it up a notch with Carmen. Get married, have a bunch of babies and pretend that I'm just like everyone else. I breathe in deeply as I look at my reflection in the mirror and nod.

"Like everyone else." I say firmly.

I bypass my office and head straight to the courthouse to meet with my client and his family. As the day progresses I am feeling pretty satisfied and extremely confident. My case is going rather smoothly. Of course, the prosecution isn't making much of a case so that definitely works to my advantage. The judge glances at me and asks if I want to cross examine and I smile before standing. I walk over to the jury first and run my hand along the railing, making eye contact with several jurors before I reach the witness stand. I grin at the man before me.

"So, let me get this straight. You have stated for the record that my client, Mr. Romero, came to the store, then left, then walked back inside the store with a mask on and robbed the place?"

"Yes?" He says somewhat hesitant.

I arch my brow at him and smirk, "Are you unsure?"

"No, I'm sure," he replies squirming in his seat.

"So how long has it been Mr. Walker?"

"What do you mean?" He asks a bit nervous.

"How long has it been since you had your last fix?"

"Object your honor. Mr. Whitlock is badgering the witness. Mr. Walker's alleged drug use has no bearing on the case."

"Your honor, I strongly disagree with that statement. Mr. Walker's drug addiction is directly related to whether at the time of the crime he was able to adequately identify the defendant."

"Overruled," the judge says to the prosecutor and then turns to me, "You may continue."

"I don't use drugs." Mr. Walker says sketchily.

Now I smile and nod, "You are aware that there are laws against perjury." When he looks at me confused I lean in close, "That's when you lie on the stand." I hear a few of the jurors trying to stifle their laughter. "If you lie to me they can send you to jail." I say standing up straight and giving him a hard look.

He continues to squirm in his seat, "I… I don't use anything."

I slap my hand on the witness box loudly and move closer, "You're lying, Mr. Walker. Did you or did you not two days ago get picked up in a raid at a drug house."

"Yes, but…"

"Mr. Walker isn't it true that on the night in question you were panhandling on the street trying to come up with some money to get a fix of crack and that you had been in the store several times that day bumming money off of people and that on that particular night you had asked Mr. Romero for money but he didn't help you. Mr. Romero left and never came back into the store. You lied because the prosecutor promised you recourse should you be able to testify. Recourse that will allow you to buy the drugs that you are so desperate for."

He keeps trying to look at the prosecutor but I keep blocking him, his face has a look of utter confusion and terror. He isn't sure what he is supposed to say. I place my hands on the witness stand and move close again, so close that he actually leans back in his chair, trying to get away from me.

"I'm going to ask you again, Mr. Walker. Are you sure it was Mr. Romero you saw that night?" I ask forcefully.

He swallows and shakes his head.

"You need to say it out loud." I say as I narrow my eyes at him.

"I'm… I'm not 100% sure." He says almost in tears.

"Nothing further." I say and turn around.

As I glance in the courtroom, I am stunned when I see Liam sitting in the back row. He has a seductive smile on his face as he watches me walk back to the chair. The judge releases us for lunch and after they take my client away I turn to talk to his family. His mother doesn't speak English so I proceed to tell her what the plan is in Spanish but keep glancing at Liam who appears to be waiting for me. Hesitantly I make my way to him.

"That was phenomenal," he says shaking his head and grinning, "you are really something to behold up there. My God! That was…" He shakes his head and licks his lips before letting out a soft breath. "That was amazing, Eleazar."

I laugh, "Thanks, I think." I say as we step through the door. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you and remembered you said you had court today. Can we talk?" He asks and I reluctantly nod.

We grab a sandwich at the vendor and select a table far away from everyone else.

"About Friday night." he starts but I raise my hand and shake my head indicating I don't want to talk about it. "No, hear me out okay." I sigh and nod, indicating for him to continue. "Look. I'm not going to lie. I am extremely attracted to you and I probably came on a little too strong. I see that now. But maybe we could start out slowly, get to know each other." He says pulling his bottom lip in his mouth.

"That can't happen, Liam. I don't know what I was thinking on Friday but really I shouldn't have done any of that. I wasn't thinking," I pause and shake my head slightly, "straight." I finally say, looking down at my food.

He doesn't say anything and after a few minutes I look up at him and he is giving me a curious expression.

"What?" I ask confused.

"You're not 'out' are you?"

I start looking around, just to make sure people can't hear us. His eyes never leave mine as I turn back to him and take a deep breath.

"I'm not gay. It was a mistake." I whisper.

He is still watching me but his eyes have shifted some, "You liked what we were doing." He moves a little closer, leaning across the table, "I could feel how much you enjoyed it."

I close my eyes and breathe in deeply before nodding.

"I did but that doesn't mean it wasn't a mistake. Do you want me to say that I don't think about it, think about you." I sit up and lean back against my chair, "That I haven't thought about you every day from the day we met because I can't. I close my eyes and you're there but…" I say looking down again, trying desperately to control my breathing, "It… it can't happen." I shake my head and rise quickly, "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression."

His eyes are softer and as I start to walk past him, he stops me by placing his hand over mine. I look at him, begging him with my eyes to let me go but he doesn't. He softly traces his finger along mine so subtly no one would have even noticed but I do as my breathing picks up.

"I can't stop thinking about you either," he says softly.

I breathe out, "it doesn't change the fact that we can't be together."

"But we can, we can be discreet. I would never out someone who isn't ready. No one has to know," he motions back to the chair, "Please, sit down."

Against my better judgment I go back to my chair and take a seat.

"I know you have to go back to prepare but, can I come visit you in your office tonight. We could talk about this. Okay?" He asks and I nod slowly.

"Wonderful," he smiles and just like that I am smiling and happy again.

We eat and make small talk throughout the rest of lunch. To anyone watching we look like two friends chatting about the day but secretly I am jumping up and down waiting for tonight. The rest of the day goes exceptionally well for me. I was on fire in the courtroom, knocking down pretty much all of Mr. Davis' witnesses. After the judge dismissed us I went back to my office like I usually do and worked on my arguments for tomorrow. It's strange, since lunch I have felt freer than I have ever felt before. It's as if suddenly I can throw caution to the wind so to speak. I want him, he wants me. I have never felt this strong of an attraction to anyone in my life. That has to be worth exploring. I guess I'm just tired of pretending and hell, he will be gone by the end of the week and I guess I will go on with the rest of my life but at least I will know, at least I will have tried, at least I will be me, the true me, the me I have never let out before, even if it's only for a short time.

When I hear the elevator ding I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face as I jump up and meet him at the door. The minute he is inside my office my mouth is on his. I slam the door closed with my foot and push him against it, moving my body flush against his as my hands grasp his face. He drops the bags in is hands and moves them immediately to my ass and pulls my crotch against his as he maneuvers his hard cock against my own hardness. It's heavenly and sinful at the same time. He slowly pulls away from me.

"God! You're a great kisser, El," he whispers against my mouth. I smile and kiss him again as I swivel my hips against his.

"I like that." I say nibbling down his neck.

"What?" He asks as his he continues to move his hands over my ass and then my lower back.

"El, I've never had a nickname." I say moving his unbuttoned shirt off of his shoulder some so that I can suck his flesh into my mouth.

He starts moaning as I suck and nip at him, marking his pale and perfect skin. All day I have thought about him, thought about kissing him, touching him. It's time for me to seize the day and take my moment. No more hiding, I want to see where this leads.

"Can I touch you?" I ask as my hand moves to his dress slacks.

"Yes, please."

Without hesitation I unbutton his pants and bring my hand inside, feeling his soft and smooth skin. My fingers trace along the ridges of his cock as I move up and down his length. He and I are probably the same size except he might have a little more girth than me. As my hand wraps around him I smile, definitely thicker than me. I palm his head, feeling the wetness of his pre cum. I spread it in my hand as I work down his impressive cock. I do this several more times as he lets out breathy moans and grunts. His breathing increases and he suddenly wraps his hand over mine, halting my movements.

"El," he says licking his lips, "baby, you need to stop before you make me come, besides," he swallows thickly and my mouth moves to his Adam's apple where I start kissing and sucking, "I, umm, thought we were going to take it slow," he stutters through a heady groan.

"I'm sorry, I do want to go slow, sort of," I mumble as I bring my mouth to his and kiss him again.

I don't know how long we stand there kissing but eventually my stomach growls, a reminder that I haven't eaten since lunch. He chuckles against me and breaks our kiss.

"Let's eat." He suggests, running his tongue along my bottom lip.

"What did you bring me?" I ask grinning.

He slaps my ass and smiles, "Go sit down and I'll show you."

* * *

**A/N… So El and Liam are going for it. I just love these two and the fact that El is so calm cool and collected in the courtroom and then when Liam is around it's all school boy crush time. It's very sweet and enduring. A lot is at stake for El though, lets hope he knows what he's getting himself into :-)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Well, things are moving along aren't they but hmmm, what will they do when Liam has to leave in a few days?**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

We spend the next three nights this way. I go to court and then come back to my office to go over my plans for the next day and he stays late every night. Once everyone is out of the office he comes to see me. I find myself giddy waiting for him to arrive. And just like I have done the past three nights, the minute he steps into my office I grab him and push him against the door, giving him a searing and passionate kiss. We haven't really done anything but make out and dry hump each other but I desperately want more and I think he wants that too. He continues to kiss me but then starts walking me backwards towards my chair. Hmmm, this is new. He pushes me down in it and drops to his knees, immediately unbuckling my pants.

"I want you so bad, El," I can hear the desperation in his voice.

"I want you too," I say reaching for him.

He gets on my lap and immediately grinds against me as his mouth touches mine. But unlike what we usually do he stops kissing me abruptly, just as we are getting into it and brings his mouth close to my ear.

"I want to taste you, El. Can I?"

My breath hitches as I nod crazily. He kisses my lips softly before getting on his knees again and removing my hard and ready cock. He sits up on his haunches and pulls out several paper towels from his pocket before leaning down and licking across my slit. He then sucks my head into his mouth before taking me to the back of his throat.

"No se detienen, bebé." I tell him not to stop in Spanish.

He releases me and looks up with dark and wanting eyes, "Fuck, El, talk to me in Spanish again, that's the hottest thing I've ever heard."

I close my eyes and rest my head against the chair as he takes me into his mouth again. He feels like... heaven. I start speaking in Spanish to him. It starts out really sweet and sexy but the minute I hear his zipper undo and feel him remove one of his hands from my thighs all bets are off. I start cursing in Spanish like crazy and then open my eyes because I really need to watch him. He is grunting and moaning against me as his hand works furiously towards his own release. He pulls away from my cock, panting, grabbing my hands and putting them on his head.

"I'm really close, El; I want to come with you," he says through ragged breaths.

I nod and entwine my hands in his hair while he puts the paper towels in one hand and strokes himself with the other. I guide him up and down on my cock. I go slowly, deliberately at first, unsure how fast I should do this. He glances up, his eyes feral and nods a minuscule amount. So I increase my pace as he takes me to the back of his throat again, hollowing out his cheeks, his lips making the perfect suction over my aching cock. I start muttering in Spanish and grunting wildly as I tug on his hair, pulling it tightly and moving him faster and faster over me.

"Oh Fuck!" I scream as the first wave of come hits his throat.

He moans and swallows causing another wave of come to spurt down his throat. My body is shaking and convulsing and seconds later so is his as his teeth scrap up my cock and he sucks vigorously on my head, making me buck against him. When his mouth finally pops off me, my whole body slumps against my chair as my heart races and I breathe out raggedly. I watch him wipe the rest of his come off himself with the paper towels and then he stands, tucking himself back inside his slacks. He grins at my lazy smile and straddles my lap again kissing me deeply.

"Congratulations on winning your case," he says kissing down my neck and I can feel his smile against my skin. I tug on his hair and bring his mouth back to me, kissing him lightly.

"That was amazing," I say pulling back slightly and cupping his cheek.

"Spend the weekend with me," he says sweetly as I drop my hand.

He watches as my face changes and fear creeps in. He leans in and kisses me again before whispering against my mouth, "We won't have sex because you're probably not ready for that but I want to wake up with you in my arms," he kisses me again softly, "We could go somewhere else," he says tracing my lips with his tongue, "Some place small, away from the city, where no one will know you."

I smile, liking the idea more and more. "Okay," I say as I pull him to me and kiss him again.

~LoN~

By the time Friday comes my excitement level is off the chart. I can't wait for this weekend to begin. Hell, maybe it can begin tonight. I smile and trace my fingers along my lips, thinking of Liam and how perfect the past week has been. I take a deep breath and look through a report on my desk although I am not really focusing on what it says.

"Eleazar," Mr. Montgomery says stepping into my office.

I look up from my desk and smile, "Yes, Sir."

"Everyone is bringing their wives tonight to the dinner. Are you still dating that one woman?"

I sigh, "Carmen?"

"Yes, she's lovely. Why don't you invite her?"

"It's kind of last minute. She may not be available," I say hoping she isn't.

"Nonsense. I will be in with the auditors most of the day going over their recommendations. Don't be late tonight," he says with a wink as he steps out the door.

FUCK! I mutter to myself and then pick up the phone.

"_Hello?"_

"_I have this thing at work. Are you free? If not it's okay but I thought I would ask," I say quickly._

"_Well, hello to you too," she says with a giggle, "I'm always free for you, Eleazar. What time are you picking me up?" She asks excitably._

_I close my eyes, "6:30. I'll see you then." I say hanging up before she can ask me anything else._

The rest of the day seems to drag on as I stare at the clock, dreading the hours that are slipping by. Around 5:50 I leave the office much to the surprise of Liam who is in the hall with the other auditors visiting with Mr. Montgomery, and the other partners. It looks like they are all getting ready to leave. I offer Liam a small smile which seems to ease some of his tension. He's not going to be happy about this.

My stomach is in knots and I feel nauseous. This is such a mistake. I pull up to Carmen's place and sigh before finally getting out of the car and knocking on the door. She answers with a beautiful smile on her face. I try to reciprocate but mine feels more compulsory than anything else. She is wearing a red dress that is striking against her olive skin; her dark hair is down, flowing past her shoulders in waves. She is simply stunning and sure to turn heads tonight. She immediately goes to kiss me and I turn so that she kisses the corner of my mouth instead.

"We better go," I say, taking her arm and leading her to the car.

She looks at me strangely as I open her door and help her inside. I am antsy all the way there and when I pull up I just stare at the entrance. I don't want to do this, I don't want to do this, I don't want to do this. I squeeze my eyes shut trying to steady my breathing.

"Eleazar, baby, what's the matter?" She asks sweetly.

Hearing the word baby coming out of her mouth doesn't sound right. It's the wrong voice. The right voice is in there, waiting for me but he isn't expecting me to be bringing anyone. There was no opportunity to tell him today as he was with the partners most of the day. I tap my fingers nervously against the steering wheel until she sets her hand on mine. I turn to her and try to smile but it comes out forced. Fuck it! It's now or never. I step out of the car and quickly make my way to her side to help her out.

"Eleazar, over here," I hear Mr. Montgomery say as we step inside.

Carmen leans in to me and wraps her arm around my waist and for all intents and purposes she could be my wife, except, I don't want her to be anything but a friend to me. Of course a couple of weeks ago I would have taken advantage of the situation but even that would have been out of some archaic notion of what was expected of me. As we approach Mr. Montgomery I see him. He turns when he hears Mr. Montgomery call my name and gives me one of his perfect smiles that make my heart race. That is until he notices Carmen and the smile is gone, replaced with a look of hostility as he sees her arm wrapped around my waist.

"Mr. Montgomery. What a pleasure to see you again," Carmen says offering him her hand, which he promptly kisses, she then turns to Mrs. Montgomery, "Sara, you look absolutely beautiful."

"Oh thank you, sweetheart, as do you," Sara says hugging her, "I don't think he will be able to keep his hands off of you in a dress like this," she drunk whispers which means it wasn't a whisper at all.

Liam is watching the exchange and chugs his beer down. His brows furrowed as he turns to the bartender and asks for another beer. He starts stretching his neck from side to side with his hands gripping the edge of the bar tightly.

"Mr. Whitlock, as handsome as ever," Sara says and I proceed to kiss her cheek, my eyes still on Liam who hasn't turned back around yet.

"So when are you two going to tie the knot?" Sara asks looking between Carmen and I.

Oh God! Can this get any worse? Liam turns around swiftly and stares at me, his eyes wide, and suddenly his look goes from hostile to hurt to indifferent in a matter of seconds. He grabs the beer the bartender sets next to him and basically chugs the entire thing, his eyes dark. My breathing picks up as I watch him, not knowing what I am supposed to do.

"John, Liam, Eric. This is Carmen Ramirez. Eleazar's better half," Mr. Montgomery says as they all shake her hand except Liam who suddenly looks like he's going to be sick. He swallows and takes a deep breath, composing himself.

"It's a pleasure, ma'am," Liam finally says taking her hand and then glancing at me. "Excuse me," he says to everyone and makes a beeline towards the exit.

Shit! Shit! Shit! "Oh, shoot, I forgot my wallet in the car. I'll be right back. Carmen, stay here."

"Oh, she'll be fine," Sara says offering Carmen a drink.

I make a mad dash outside and see Liam walking across the street. I take off after him and grab his arm which he jerks away from me.

"Please, let's talk," I plead.

He stops and glares at me as he pulls me into one of the alleys.

"Is that what you want? To play house with her? To have someone you can bring to all these work functions. To pretend to be something you're not," he asks his face red with anger.

"No. Let me explain," I say grabbing his arm again.

He looks at me and then frowns bringing his thumb to my lip but instead of allowing me to kiss it he moves it to the corner of my mouth and wipes off Carmen's lipstick. He then starts to walk away and I panic.

"Liam, stop, please." Apparently I am not above begging.

He stops and turns to me, "Ya know," he looks down for a moment and then up at me, his expression hard, "I know who I am, El and it seems as if you're not sure who you are," he takes a deep breath before continuing, "I'm not going to vie for your affections and I certainly don't share. PERIOD!" he says with his voice raising an octave, "So, why don't you go back in there, pretend to be what they want you to be and I'll go on my way. We can chock this up to a minor indiscretion or something," he stops talking and pinches his eyes shut, his face straining.

"Liam, it isn't like that at all," I say desperate for him to understand.

He sighs and shakes his head, "It is Eleazar. Look, it's obvious you don't know what you want and I already care too much about you to be," he frowns, "dismissed, at a whim," he says, turning back around. He begins walking again and my heart drops, he's walking out of my life.

"I want you," I say loudly and he stops.

I take a deep breath, "I'll never want anyone but you. I couldn't turn this off if I tried but I don't want to try," he drops his head but doesn't turn around so I continue. "Mr. Montgomery told me to bring Carmen. I had no opportunity to tell you in advance. I'm sorry. I am sure that seeing me with her was difficult," I start walking towards him, "But I don't want her, I want you."

I touch his shoulder and pull him to me, so that his back is against my chest. I start kissing down his neck as my hands move along his body, "Quiero que tú y sólo tú," he breathes in deeply, "It scares me how much you mean to me. I didn't want our evening to be like this. I wanted to go, spend my obligatory hour and then sneak out with you. Baby, I'm so, so, sorry."

He turns around and I can see that there are tears in his eyes which makes my heart hurt.

"Do you forgive me?" I ask running my fingers along his jaw. He nods and gently cups my cheek, my head tilting into his palm. I feel like I can breathe again.

"You better go back inside or they're going to send someone out to look for you," he says with a sigh as his fingers run down the buttons of my shirt.

"Will you come back inside?" I ask hopeful.

He laughs but it isn't one of those humorous laughs and then shakes his head, "No way, El," he then looks down and when he looks back up he has a serious but sad expression on his face, "I know that I won't be able to stomach that woman touching you."

"I won't let her," I say looking down, defeated.

He smiles, "You won't have a choice. Your boss has you two married with children already," he tugs on my belt buckle forcing me to look at him, "I'll see you in the morning."

I nod as he turns around and walks to the end of the alley, making a right to go in the opposite direction of the restaurant. I watch him walk away, wanting desperately to follow him, but instead I make my way back to the restaurant. And sure enough Carmen is at the entrance waiting for me. I don't know how much she saw and I really don't care. She starts to say something but I shake my head and take her hand as I make my way back inside to put on a show for my boss.

* * *

**A/N… So, hmmm, a lot happened in this chapter, we had some oral contact, a plan for the weekend and that pesky Carmen trying to throw a monkey wrench in the whole thing. Do you thing she saw them embrace in the alley? Well, go check out the blog, lawofnumbers-lovinrob dot blogspot dot com, for some pictures of who I have playing Eleazar's long suffering girlfriend :-)**

**Spanish Translation:  
****1. No se detienen, bebé – ****Don't stop, baby  
****2. Quiero que tú y sólo tú – I want you and only you.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**A weekend away sounds nice. Wonder where he's taking him.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Liam won't tell me where we are going. He just told me to be casual. I stare at myself and run my hand nervously through my hair. I am in a pair of 501's and a blue button down shirt. I'm so nervous. I know he said that we wouldn't be having sex but really I want to. I want to be with him in every sense of the word. I got very little sleep last night as I spent most the time thinking. My mind has gone over every detail of what happened last night in the alley. I came to the conclusion that he was true in a sense. I have been pretending my whole life and I am afraid of coming out completely but that doesn't mean that I want to go back to the way it was before. This is who I am, I know that now, I accept that, and I don't ever want to go back. I need him in a way I have never needed anyone in my life and I am not willing to give that leaves Sunday for El Paso for two whole weeks and I hate the fact that we won't be able to see each other in that time. In fact my heart hurts just thinking about it. I hear a knock at the door, bringing me out of my thoughts. I smile as I head to the front door.

"Hey, baby." He says stepping inside.

Oh man! He looks unbelievably sexy right now. He's wearing a tight pair of faded Levi's with a white t-shirt tucked inside of it. The shirt clings to him in just the right way as to show off his well-defined chest. His curly hair looks so soft and I have to fight the urge to run my fingers through it. He grins and walks past me to look around my place but I stop him and pull him to me, kissing him passionately. I immediately start moving my hands all over him, unable to stop myself. I cup his cock and can feel it growing against my hand underneath his buttonfly.

"El..." He mutters as he pulls back slightly, "you need to stop, baby," he sighs and then kisses me lightly on the lips, "I'm already regretting wearing these jeans," he says with a chuckle.

I smirk against his lips, "I'm not. You look sexy as hell in them," I say as my hands move to his ass and slip into his back pockets, pulling him right against my own rising cock.

He sighs again before kissing me lightly, "We better go."

I kiss him again; something I can't seem to stop doing, and after a long time has elapsed he finally pulls away from me. I run my hand up his back and through the back of his hair as I bring my mouth to his yet again. Finally he sighs deeply and takes an actual step back, running his thumb along my lips.

"We really need to leave, baby," he says arching his brow.

I grin and nod before walking to the coffee table to pick up the small overnight bag I packed. He jerks the bag out of my hand and throws the strap over his shoulder as we walk outside. He keeps a safe distance from me but still glances at me with a smirk on his face.

"So where exactly are we going?" I ask as he walk towards the car.

"A small town that's a couple of hours away." He says with a wink.

"That's all you're going to tell me?" I ask as I slide into the passenger seat.

"Yep," he says when he slips behind the wheel.

As soon as we get out of Houston city limits he takes my hand in his. Smiling at the contact, I rest my head against the seat, watching him.

"So, how was the rest of your evening?" He asks giving me a sideways glance.

I roll my eyes and he chuckles, "I stayed for two hours and then dropped off Carmen at her place." I say playing with his fingers that are in my hand.

He nods and brings my hand up, kissing my palm. Changing the subject he asks me about my taste in music. He and I start to talk about that as we continue to drive and he tells me he has this thing for singer songwriters, going to small clubs or bars to listen to people play live music. I told him that was a neat thing to do. When he asked what I liked I told him I didn't listen to very much music or watch a lot of TV as I was always working. He grinned and told me that was going to change. I couldn't help but smile, anxious for anything he would share with me. We continue to drive and as we pass a sign that says 22 miles to Jasper, Texas I sit up straight and look over at him. Oh man, he isn't taking me to Jasper is he?

"Babe, are we going to Jasper?" I ask curiously.

He turns and grins clearly shocked that I guessed correctly. I sigh, "You know, ummm, Jasper isn't known for its positive race relations."

He gets a worried look on his face. "Shit! I'm sorry. I didn't know that. I just looked at the map and saw it was a couple of hours away and I really loved the name," he says with a slight grin, "That and it's a small community so I figured the chances of running into anyone who might know you would be really slim."

"It should be okay," I say bringing his hand up and kissing his fingers, "Besides, I can't imagine we are going to leave our room very much."

He traces the tip of his thumb along my lips and gives me a heated expression, "No, I can't imagine we will."

We pull up to a Best Western and he looks at me with a smile. "Hold on, let me get the key."

I look around the parking lot and there are a few other cars but not too many people. It's been a long time since I stayed at a Best Western. Usually when I travel I like to splurge, stay in a suite but hell, I'm with Liam and that's all that matters. A few minutes later he is opening the door and we drive around the back and park. He smiles at me and gets out excitedly, then opens the back door, grabbing both of our bags. As we step inside the room, I smile. It's a nice enough with a large king size bed.

"I know it's not that fancy. There are no five star accommodations in this town. The next time we…"

I stop him with a kiss, "It's fine, really."

He nods and I immediately pull his shirt out of his jeans. I start pushing it up and he raises his arms so I can pull it all the way off, revealing his chest to me for the first time. As expected he is well defined. But what I don't expect is a tattoo. I trace my fingertips along it and then over his pecs playing with the soft hair that is there and then allow my hands to move down his chest and along his abs. I play with the hair around his navel that leads to the magnificent cock I already know he has and let my fingertips slip into his waist band as I play with the hair that is peeking out from the top of his jeans. I slowly start unbuttoning them, needing him naked desperately.

"Don't you want to get something to eat first?" He asks in a shaky voice.

I shake my head, my eyes never leaving the spot where my fingers are. I push his jeans down, dropping to my knees so I can have him step out of them. My hands move up and down his strong legs, feeling his tight muscles flex under my touch. By the time I bring my hands back to his boxers he is breathing heavily and his cock is straining to get out. I slip them down his hips and push them to the floor then sit back on my haunches and admire the perfection that is before me. I glance up at him.

"Eres perfecta," I tell him he's perfect.

I smile and breathe in deeply as my mouth touches the head of his cock. His hand moves to the side of my face, gently caressing my jaw, encouraging me to continue. I'm not sure exactly what I should do since I have never given head before but figure I will just do what I like and hope he likes it as well. I circle his head with my tongue and then push my mouth over him. His fingers pause on my jaw and I can see the muscles in his stomach flex. I glance up at him and his eyes are fixed on my mouth and his lips are slightly parted. I scoot a little closer to him and take him deeper in my mouth. He lets out a gurgled moan that goes directly to my cock. Enflamed with desire I move my hands to his ass and pull him forward into my mouth. I feel his cock hit the back of my throat which startles me and causes me to gag. He immediately steps back, pulling out of my mouth.

"Wait, I'm sorry, let me try it again," I pout, feeling as if I let him down.

He pulls me up and begins kissing me as he starts unbuttoning my shirt. He is so good that he has my shirt off and my jeans undone before I register what's happening. He uses his foot to push my jeans and briefs the rest of the way down and then turns us so that when he pulls away he taps my chest and pushes me onto the bed. He smiles as he crawls on top of me settling over my hips.

"I have a pretty vivid imagination, El but even my imagination didn't do you justice," he runs his hands all over my chest and down to my stomach, "You are stunning."

He hops off my hips and brings his mouth over my cock, taking me to the back of his throat several times. I need to learn how to do that. My eyes close as his tongue maneuvers to my balls before he sucks them in his mouth. I arch my hips slightly and feel his smile against my skin. He circles my balls with his tongue and then circles my entrance.

"Oh fuck!" I screech in a voice that clearly isn't my own.

Once again I feel him smile against my skin and then he parts my cheeks slightly as his tongue continues to lick around my hole. I start moaning loudly. My body is on fire. What he's doing feels so good. So much so that I think I could probably come without him even touching my cock. He stops for a second and I want to cry out to him but then I feel his wet thumb pushing against my entrance while he licks all around.

"Tell me when to stop, baby," he whispers.

I nod but can't form any coherent thoughts as my cock begins bobbing. I am clearly over stimulated right now as he removes his thumb and spreads my cheeks further, wrapping his mouth around my entrance and sticking his tongue inside of me. Tears form in my eyes and I bring the palms of my hands to them as my body reacts to all of these very new sensations. He removes his tongue and pushes his thumb inside of me and I arch my hips impossibly high. He starts licking again as his thumb moves in and out of me.

"More, oh God! Please, more," I stutter.

"Fuck," he hums against me as he removes his thumb and a second later I feel two wet fingers enter me.

"Te amo, Dios mío, te amo," I mutter incoherently in Spanish.

He moans against me as he sucks and licks while his fingers pump into me, he then starts twisting and turning them and the sensation is too much and I scream as I start coming. I immediately move my hand to my cock to try and contain the stream to only my stomach which is a feat in and of itself. When my body relaxes and I can't move anymore he pulls his fingers out of me. I feel his mouth move over my flaccid cock and casually lick across my stomach, causing shivers to spread over me. When he is done licking my come he wraps his body around mine and gently kisses up my neck.

"I love you," I whisper and he stops kissing me.

He looks at me and I run my fingers through his hair, "I know we haven't known each other for long but I love you," he has tears in his eyes and his mouth parts but no words come out.

My hand settles on his cheek, "Te amo."

He kisses me hard, moving close to me before looking me intensely in the eyes, "I love you too," his lips gently touch mine, "I love you," he repeats.

I smile against his lips. This is it for me. All the women I have been with, not one ever touched my heart but with Liam, I knew it instantly. I don't know what this means for my career or how my family will react. I don't even know what it means for Liam and I as we live three hours away from each other and my job demands a great deal of my time. But what I do know is that I will make it work because I found my other half and I'm sure as hell not letting him go.

* * *

**A/N… Ahhh, love these boys, glad they said those three words. I guess I am one of those hopeless romantics and figure if ya love someone say it 'cause you never know when they will be gone. Carpe Diem Baby… **

**Spanish Translation:  
****1. Eres perfecta – You're perfect  
****2. Te amo, ****Dios mío****, te amo – I love you, my God, I love you**


	6. Chapter 6

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Oh My! So let's see what else happens in Jasper *sigh***

* * *

**Chapter 6**

He hums against my mouth as his body moves closer to me, his hard cock, sliding over my stomach. My hands fist his hair tightly as our kiss intensifies yet again. I really don't think I will ever get enough of feeling him next to me. His body fits mine perfectly, his lips are meant to kiss mine, his heart meant to hold mine. He breaks our kiss and grins against my lips before moving a piece of my hair out of my eyes.

"What you did was…" I say smiling before biting on my lip.

"I'm glad you liked that," he says with that sexy smirk that drives me wild, "It's such a turn on knowing," he kisses my lips softly, "that all of your firsts," another soft kiss, "are going to be with me," he swivels his hips against me, "you're completely mine, Eleazar."

I breathe in deeply, blinking a few times before I chuckle slightly, "Why do I suddenly feel like some sort of virgin?" I ask arching my brow at him.

He slaps my ass and then squeezes my cheeks, pulling me even closer to him, "Because you are, El," he says with a snicker as he starts kissing down my neck. God! he knows just what to do to make me feel so good.

"So, do I get to pop my cherry this weekend then?" I ask thrusting my hips against him.

He growls into my neck, "El, Fuck! I swear you're gonna kill me," he looks up and runs his hand through my hair, "I think we should wait on that."

"What? Why?" I say, unable to mask my disappointment.

"Call me what you will but I don't want our first time to be at a Best Western. I want it to be special, with candles and shit," he says the last part with a grin and I can't help but grin as well, "But don't worry, baby, there's lots of 'other' stuff we can do," he says grinding against me.

I lean up on my elbow and lick my lips, smiling slyly, "So, let me get this straight," I arch my brow and tilt my head slightly, "you are planning on wooing me before we get to have sex?" I say, running my free hand through my hair.

He laughs, "Damn right I am. You won't stand a chance," he moves so that his cock continues to slide against me deliciously.

"Well, I will be the easiest lay you ever get because I already want you desperately," I say with a soft moan. I kiss him again and then run my fingers down his face. My fingers end up on his chest as I trace along his tattoo and look up at him, "What does this mean?" I ask with a smile.

"It's our family's crest. All the men in my family have a tatt of it," he says, tracing his lips with his tongue.

"Do you have a big family?" I ask, playing with his chest hair.

"Yeah, my sister and I are the youngest of twelve. We were sort of a surprise for our parents. My oldest brother was 21 when we were born," he says laughing.

"Were you two born close together?" I ask mesmerized by his beautiful body.

"My sister Siobhan and I are twins. It was just the two of us for a long time because most of my siblings were already out of the house or much older than us. We were inseparable," he says and gets a faraway look in his eyes.

"It sounds like you two were really close. I wish I had that."

"You're not close with your siblings?"

"I'm an only child," he gives me a smile and I lick my lips again, "I know, unusual for a Mexican family," I say laughing, knowing the stereotype. Hell, in my family all my aunts and uncles have at least four or five kids each. I had plenty of cousins to torture me.

"How come your parents didn't have more children?" He asks, moving his hands up and down my back.

"My father died when I was two and my mom never remarried," I say with a shrug.

He stops moving his hands and takes a deep breath. I bring my mouth to his and kiss him longingly. His hands wind up back on my ass where he holds me in place while he starts rotating his cock against my stomach, letting out several sexy whimpers. It's then that I realize that I never took care of him. Something I plan on rectifying right now. I move my hands from his hair and down his back, resting them on his ass. I begin kneading his cheeks before spreading them, letting my finger cross over his entrance and feeling his skin pucker against my finger.

He lets out another growl as he pulls away from our kiss, a feral look on his face. He jerks my hand up and immediately sucks a couple of fingers into his mouth, swirling his tongue around them and nipping at the pads. When my eyes roll back he pulls them out and then moves his knee up, past my hip, opening himself up for me. He then brings my fingers to his entrance and gives me a dark and lustful stare.

Without hesitation I push them deep inside of him, as far as they will go. His eyes flutter closed as his lips part and he releases the sexiest noises known to man. I swear if I hadn't just come a few minutes ago I would have come again. I push him on his back and he brings his knee to my chest as he opens himself up even more. He moves his hand to his cock and starts stroking himself and now it's me who lets out some sort of whimpering noise.

"Move your fingers in and out of me, El," he breathes out deeply.

I start pumping my fingers into him hard and fast and then grab his cock, taking over for him as he fists the bedspread.

"Oh fuck, El," he pants, "Do you like that, baby? Can you imagine yourself inside me?"

"Mmm, I want to be inside of you so bad right now," I moan out loudly.

I continue to work my fingers inside of him while pumping his cock with strong forceful strokes. I remember how good it felt when he twisted his fingers inside of me so I do that to him and am rewarded with several breathless moans and groans. My eyes are fixed on what my hand and fingers are doing, concentrating on pleasing him.

"I don't know what I want more…" he says darkly and when I look at him his eyes are boring into mine, "… to fuck you or have you fuck me."

Oh fucking hell! I lean down and he sits up on his elbows as our lips touch. The kiss is carnal and wild as my hand works furiously on his cock while my fingers quickly move in and out of him. And just when I don't think I can hold the position any longer I feel his cock twitch as his first shot of come hits his stomach. His muscles tighten around my fingers and I let out a load moan as I imagine how it will feel when my cock is in there.

"That feels so good, baby. I can't wait to be inside of you," I say hoarsely, "and to feel you inside of me."

That does it for him. He drops on the bed, the muscles in his body rippling as his face contorts in pleasure. I start smiling as this beautiful man comes undone because of me. What I am doing to him is making him feel this way. He screams out as the second wave of come hits his stomach. I squeeze and stroke him until his cock lays limp on his dark hair and then pull my fingers out of him. He has a smile on his face as do I. I bring my lips back to his, kissing him deeply as his arms wrap around me, rolling us on our sides again. When he pulls his mouth away from me, he gently touches my face.

"That was perfect," he says, kissing me lightly on the lips.

I smile, proud of myself. This definitely makes up for my less than exemplary blow job skills. He kisses me softly and then rests his head in the crook of my neck. I do the same and we lay that way for a long time, our bodies completely touching as we steady our breathing.

"Let's get cleaned up, baby, then we can go get something to eat," he says into my neck.

I groan, not wanting to move at all. I can feel his smile against my skin.

"Come on, baby, let me wash you," he says pulling my flesh into his mouth.

Suddenly the idea of seeing him dripping wet is a great motivator. Taking a shower doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all.

"Besides," he slides his stomach against mine and his come makes a squishing noise, "We are a mess. We don't want that shit to dry."

I laugh, "Okay, okay," I say as I break our connection. I then slap his ass before jumping out of the bed, stretching my back and shoulders. I hear a sharp intake of breath and look over at him.

"You have got to be the sexiest man I have ever seen," he says standing and walking towards me.

"Well, obviously you don't look in the mirror," I say with a snort and he laughs as he wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my shoulder. I turn my head slightly and he plants a quick chaste kiss on my lips.

"I love you," he says tenderly.

A smile spreads across my face, "I love you too."

~LoN~

We spend most of the weekend in our room. We went out to eat after our shower but when Liam heard someone make a snide comment about Mexicans he decided that we would eat inside the rest of the time we were there which I didn't mind at all because that meant he was naked. That was definitely a win for me because the man is gorgeous and extremely fit. We watched stupid television while making out and exploring every inch of each other's bodies. But by the time Sunday afternoon came I was already feeling melancholy. This had been one of the best weekends of my life and I didn't want it to end. I couldn't imagine going back to work on Monday and pretending that my life had not been completely altered.

"You okay, El?" He asks, on the road back to Houston.

I nod, "Yeah, I just don't want it to end."

He grabs my hand and entwines his fingers with mine, "I don't either, baby."

"This is going to be the longest two weeks imaginable," I say, sadly.

"You'll be busy so it will go by fast."

"I suppose," I say, turning to the window.

"Will you stay at my apartment in San Antonio when I get back?" He asks while squeezing my hand. I turn to him and smile.

"I'd like that."

"Good. Let the wooing begin," he says with a wag of his brows and I can't help but chuckle.

The rest of the drive is relatively quiet. We both seem lost in our own thoughts. He doesn't let go of my hand the entire way, not even when we get into Houston city limits. When he pulls up to my place he parks and looks at me.

"Let me walk you upstairs," he says intently and I nod.

We can't kiss each other out here and that just won't work for either of us. He lets my hand go and I immediately miss the connection. I breathe in deeply and open the car door, grabbing my bag from the backseat. We keep a respectable distance from one another and try not to look at each other because I think it would be blatantly obvious to anyone who saw the way we looked at each other that we were in love. I open the door and drop my bag unceremoniously and for the first time it's him that pushes me up against the door, kissing me intently.

"I love you so much, El," he says as his lips hover above mine, "I'll never be complete without you," he says, his brows furrowing as his face strains, holding back his emotions.

"Yo amo y te necesito tanto, mi amor," I reply sincerely.

He sighs and I lean into him, making our lips touch again, this time I pull his body close to me, letting my hands slip into the back pockets of his jeans, holding him in place. We continue to kiss for another ten minutes until we finally have to break away from each other. He lays several more chaste and sweet kisses against my lips before reluctantly stepping back.

"Two weeks," I say as his hand touches the door knob.

He turns and smiles sadly, "14 days."

I give him a half-hearted grin and nod before he steps outside the door. I walk over to my loveseat and plop down on it. What do I do with myself now? Before I met Liam I worked. That was it. Now, none of that seems very important. I stand and walk to the calendar on my wall, taking the pen laying next to the phone and circling the date he will be back. I lean against my bar, closing my eyes as I remember every single touch and kiss and loving embrace we shared this weekend. _I love you, Liam._

* * *

**A/N… Oh man, two weeks! Dang, that's gonna be hard. So their weekend is done and El has to go back to the real world. Will he see it differently?**

**Spanish Translation:  
****1. Yo ****amo y te necesito****tanto****, mi amor – I love you and I need you so much, my love**


	7. Chapter 7

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Ah, two weeks without each other, remember folks this was before email and video chatting and twitter and Facebook and, well, you get the picture.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Liam had been right about one thing, I was busy and the week went by quickly but I'm not looking forward to the weekend when I will have nothing to do but think about him. We have talked every night, getting to know each other even better. He usually calls me late so that he can catch me at home and I will confess I usually end up masturbating whenever our conversation ends. It's after 11:00 and I am already underneath the covers in a pair of sleep pants and nothing else. I have my back against the headboard while I continue reading my brief, every few minutes or so I find myself checking the clock on my nightstand. When my phone finally rings I smile and answer before it can ring a second time.

"_Hey handsome," his voice sends shivers across my body._

"_Hey," I reply and I swear I almost giggle. What the hell!_

"_How's your day been?" he asks and I can almost see his smile._

"_Good, but I'm not looking forward to this weekend when I don't have work to distract me," I say, setting the brief on the bed. I lie down and get comfortable._

"_I wish I wasn't so far away, El," he says with a heavy sigh._

"_I wish you were here," I concur._

There is silence for a moment and I am just about to say something when he starts talking.

"_And what would you do if I were there?" his voice is an octave lower and the sound alone goes directly to my cock, which rises to the occasion._

I close my eyes and run my hand along my chest, imagining him lying naked next to me. I can picture my hands caressing every inch of his toned body and my tongue tasting him, making him mine as his body writhes underneath me.

"_El, you there?" I hear him ask hesitantly._

"_If you were here I would kiss every inch of you, starting with your lips, your jaw. I'd work down your neck to your chest and stomach. I would let my tongue trace over your hips..." I say in my best sex voice, all deep and full of want and desire._

I stop to hear his heavy breathing on the other end. Is he touching himself? Just the thought of that makes me want to touch myself as well. I run my hand down my own chest and over my already hard cock, stroking myself slowly.

"_More," he pants, "tell me more."_

"_I would crawl between your legs and kiss along your thighs, marking you along the way." I let out a soft moan that causes him to moan as well, "Mmmm, I would then suck your balls into my mouth before licking up your cock, circling your head." I start stroking myself a little faster, letting out another soft moan before continuing, "I would take your dick and lick and suck you, exploring every beautiful ridge and vein on your shaft until you couldn't take it anymore and you would come hard and long." He is panting loudly which eggs me on even more, "Because I want that, Liam, I want you to come in my mouth. I want to taste you." _

_He exhales loudly as his breathing becomes labored._

"_Ah fuck, El. I want that, baby, I want to come in your mouth. I want you to swallow it all," he grunts several times, "Oh fuck yeah, I want to come, baby," his breaths are now shallow and uneven, "Oh God, El, baby are you touching yourself too?"_

"_Yes," I murmur as my hand works up and down my shaft._

"_Oh God, baby, I want to touch you so bad. I want to squeeze that perfect cock of yours," he says, breathless. We are both panting and breathing hard, moaning loudly._

"_Do you want that, El?" he groans loudly, "Do you want me to squeeze the come out of you?"_

"_Yes, oh God, yes," I stutter as I start stroking myself even faster._

"_I'm going to come, El, oh fucccckkkk," he grunts again and I can almost see him bucking his hips as he comes, his breathing ragged and uneven._

I am going crazy imagining him alone in the bed without me. I want to fuck him desperately so I start thinking about that. What it will feel like when my cock is inside of him, as I push into him harder and harder and harder until… I arch my hips, screaming out obscenities in Spanish. My body stills as my come spills onto my stomach and my hips drop back on the bed. Neither of us says anything for several minutes as we both try to get control of our breathing.

"_El, mmmm, I didn't expect that. I was just teasing you but damn, baby, that was really hot," he murmurs sexily as he takes a deep breath._

_I smile and lick my lips, "I love you," I whisper reverently._

"_I love you, too, El. I hate that this is the busiest time of the year for me."_

_I sigh as I remember that he will be gone again, "So we only have next weekend and then you're gone for how long?"_

"_Four weeks," he says quietly._

I can barely hear him but I already know what he said. When he told me a few days ago that he would be leaving for Dallas after our weekend together for an entire month I felt heartbroken. I have had a few days to wrap my head around it though so I am not nearly as distressed as I was when he mentioned it before. I understand that this is tax time and he has a lot of responsibilities with the corporations he works with. But damn it, I still don't like the fact that he'll be gone for so long.

"_El," he says a little louder._

"_I'm here, sorry, I'm just thinking," I say absently._

"_Let's not talk about that right now, okay?" _

"_Alright, why don't we…" I start to say and then stop. Is someone at my door?_

"_Why don't we what?" he asks confused._

"_Liam, I'm sorry. I think someone's at my door. Can you hold on?"_

"_Yeah, of course," he says and I can hear the concern in his voice._

I get out of bed and pick up my undershirt from the hamper, wiping off the semen on my stomach. I still have the phone in my hand as I walk to the door. I open it with the chain still on and sigh. I stare at her as I bring the phone back to my ear.

"_Can I call you back?" I say into the phone._

"_Is everything okay?"_

"_Yeah, I'll tell you about it later." _

My voice is now crisp and stern but it isn't a reflection of him. It's more about the person at my door. I hear him sigh before he begins talking again.

"_I'll call you in the morning," he finally says._

"_Alright," I reply coolly._

He hangs up without saying anything else. I unchain the lock and step back, allowing Carmen into my home. She looks nice as usual and is eyeing me up and down as if I were a piece of meat on display. She immediately moves close to me and tries to kiss me. Her lips graze mine before I am able to back out of her reach.

"Carmen, what are you doing here?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest as I lean against the bar, setting the phone down.

"I came by to see you."

"Why? What gave you the impression that I wanted your company?"

She frowns, "You always want my company and, well, I thought maybe I had done something wrong last Friday," she looks generally worried and concerned.

"You didn't do anything wrong," I say feeling a little guilty for how I treated her.

After Liam had left the bar I was distant and almost cold to her. She walks closer to me again and reaches her hand out to touch my bare chest. Damn it! I once again step out of her reach and head back to my bedroom to get a shirt, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. When I slip one on and turn back around she is in my room, sitting on my bed. My hand runs through my hair as I try to figure out what to do to get rid of her. She is looking at the bed, her fingers drawing circles on the comforter.

"Is this about that man you were talking to last Friday?" she asks looking up at me.

I breathe in hard. It's as if all the air has been sucked out of the room. I don't say anything and neither does she. She has a contemplative look on her face and opens her mouth several times, closing it without saying anything.

"Eleazar, are you…" she pauses for a long time, long enough that I finally exhale.

"What Carmen?" I ask exacerbated.

"Are you gay?" she asks softly.

Her question startles me and I immediately bring both hands to my hair again, trying to determine the best answer to give. She is staring at me with tears in her eyes. I know she probably expected a marriage proposal at some point. Had I not met Liam she probably would have gotten it. My mouth doesn't seem able to work as no words are forming. I want to just say, hell yes I'm gay, but when I open my mouth, nothing comes out. She gets a determined look on her face as she stands and walks over to me, shaking her head.

"You can't be, baby," she whispers in my ear as her hand moves over my cock, squeezing it through the thin fabric, "Not after all the times we have been together. I would know."

I close my eyes and step away from her, sitting on the edge of bed. I need to be honest with her. She has a right to know. I take a couple of deep breaths trying to build up the courage to speak the words that need to be spoken.

"The man you saw me talking to. He's…" I close my eyes again willing myself to say the words, and then I see his face so clearly and I can't help but smile, "I am in love with him. I know that's not what you want to hear but you deserve to know the truth."

She takes a deep breath and leans against the dresser. Her arms cross over her stomach and I can see her chest heaving. She is looking to the ground with a pained expression on her face.

"The whole time we were together you were…" she doesn't finish her thought but continues to shake her head.

"Liam's the first man I have been with," I start to say but stop when she looks up at me.

"So how do you know this isn't some weird phase you're going through?"

"Carmen," I stand and walk over to her, "Do you think I wanted this? Don't you think that I tried to _not_ feel the way that I do. I have denied these feelings for so long, telling myself that it was a 'phase' as you put it, but it never went away." I touch her face lightly, "Carmen, this is who I am and when I'm with him," I smile and shake my head, seeing his face before me, "When I am with him I know, right here," I place her hand over my heart, "that I am exactly where I am supposed to be." I drop her hand and then wipe under her eyes, "I can't change this," I pause and look at her distraught face, "I know that you care about me but I don't… _feel_ that way about you. I'm sorry," I say, pulling her close to me, "I never wanted to hurt you."

She doesn't say anything for a long time. She is holding me tightly and I can tell that she is crying. After what feels like hours she steps back, wiping her eyes. She takes a deep breath and starts walking away, stopping at the bedroom door, where she turns to face me.

"I won't say anything," she says and I can't control the sigh of relief I expel.

"Thank you."

She smiles; "If…" she looks down biting her lip and then stares at me wearily, "if you, you know, change your min…"

I shake my head at her and she doesn't finish what she was going to say. She has a solemn look on her normally beautiful face, "I love you, Eleazar," she whispers.

I don't know what to say to make her feel better so I look to the ground for a moment and say the first thing that comes to my mind as I watch her, "Love isn't something you can control, Carmen. No one gets to pick who they love, they just... love. Please tell me you understand?"

She nods and turns quickly while I walk back over to the bed. I hear the door close and I arch down to touch my toes and then stretch my arms over my head. Well, this was an unusual turn of events. Shit! I need to talk to him. I reach for the phone and realize it isn't there. I start searching the house and find it on the counter where I left it. I dial his hotel quickly and ask for his room. He picks up on the first ring.

"_What's going on, El?"_

"_Carmen came to see me."_

_There is silence on the other end so I go to the sofa and sit._

"_I told her I was gay," I say casually._

"_You… What?" he stutters._

"_She asked me straight out so I gave her an honest answer. I also told her that I was in love with you and she seemed to understand."_

"_You okay?" he asks and I can hear the worry in his voice._

"_I don't know, yeah, I feel good. It was strangely liberating to say it out loud to someone."_

_I hear him chuckle lightly._

"_What?"_

"_I can't believe the first person you came out to was the woman you were having sex with." Then his laughter stops abruptly and I can hear him shifting on the other end, like maybe he is sitting up or walking perhaps, "El, was she more to you than just sex?"_

"_What? No, I always figured she loved me so when she said it tonight I wasn't all that surprised but I never felt the same way for her. I cared about her but I never loved her." I say truthfully._

"_She said she loved you?"_

"_Yes, she did, but baby I love you."_

"_If we had never met…"_

"_Stop, that's all hypothetical because we did meet and I fell in love with you so anything that might have happened is strictly moot at this point," I say quickly and to the point._

"_You are phenomenal, Mr. Whitlock," he says in that sexy voice I adore._

_I start laughing, "Well, thank you, I do try."_

I lean back and smile as we continue to talk. After another hour goes by we finally say goodnight and I walk back to my room, hoping that the next week goes as quickly as this week has. I can't believe I actually told someone. Of course I doubt my mom will be as understanding as Carmen was when I do finally tell her. In fact, now that I think about it, she will probably throw herself at the foot of the altar in St. Joseph's Cathedral, begging for God to intervene on my behalf. I sigh as I slip under the covers. I am already dreading that conversation.

* * *

**A/N … Ahhh, ya know, I dated a guy that realized he was gay, I mean I wasn't in love with him or anything but we ended up being the best of friends all through school. I was his go to girl for clubbing and such… good times. **** So, Carmen knows. Do you think she will keep her word and hold Eleazar's secret? one more week and they get to spend some time together, can't wait!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So, let's jump to next Friday because these boys need to see each other, DESPERATELY... and Lay, I answer a question you have been dying to know *wink wink***

* * *

**Chapter 8**

San Antonio is three hours away, three very long hours. Liam told me he had arranged to leave sooner than was originally scheduled so he would be back at his house by 4:00 tonight. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get out as early as I'd wanted to so I am pulling into San Antonio close to 7:00. I look up at the complex he lives in and practically sprint up the stairs, unwilling to wait for the elevator. He must be standing near the door because I only knock once before the door swings open. His smile is infectious as he pulls me inside and his mouth is on mine immediately. His hands move up and down my back before resting on my ass while my hands fist his hair tightly, holding his mouth to me.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. I was on my way out when Mr. Montgomery called me in his office," I say quickly in between kisses.

"It's alright, El," he kisses me again, "you're here now."

"I've missed you," I smile against his lips.

"I've missed you, too," he says kissing me once again.

He starts to run his tongue along my lips, opening my mouth while his expert tongue circles mine before sucking my tongue into his mouth. My eyes close as I moan shamelessly. He gently tugs on my bottom lip before giving me the sexiest smile I have ever seen.

"Now tell me again what you're going to do with that tongue of yours," he teases.

I know I growl as my lips crash to his mouth and I start walking him backwards until his legs hit the sofa. I force him down, my mouth never leaving his as I work vigorously to unbuckle his belt. Once my hand is on his cock, he groans deep in his chest which motivates me to continue. I stop kissing him and drop to my knees between his legs. I smirk at him and run my tongue around his tip and then up and down his shaft.

"El, that feels good, baby," he mutters out, licking his suddenly dry lips.

I take that as my cue and wrap my mouth around him, I am moving slowly, remembering what happened the last time I tried to give him head. My personality doesn't allow me to fail at anything and apparently that includes sexual acts as well because I am determined to get this shit right. He is watching me, his eyes no longer green but some sort of dark emerald color. I can see his chest heaving as I take him further into my mouth. I close my lips tightly around him and suck my cheeks in.

"Fuuccckkkk," he heaves as his head goes back against the couch.

Emboldened further, I take more of him inside my mouth, relaxing my throat and feeling his tip hit the back except this time I don't gag. I pull back and do it again, watching as his head shoots up to see his cock go in and out of my mouth. I pull him out and circle his head with my tongue as my hand reaches down to cup his balls before I move my mouth to them, sucking and licking them as well. His hands grip my hair tightly, as he continues to moan. My eyes dart up to see that his lips are now parted as a slew of obscenities roll out, his stomach muscles are already contracting and his chest is moving quickly. He's close, really close. I release his balls and wrap my mouth around his cock again, pushing him in and out of my mouth as quickly as I can.

"Ellll, YESSSSS," he stutters as his hips arch up, pushing his cock to the back of my throat.

That's when I taste it, taste him. His first shot of semen hits my throat and I swallow it down quickly causing him to cry out again as his second wave hits me. I swallow as much as I can but am not able to do all of it as I'm not prepared for how much he actually comes. When his body stops shaking, he jerks me up to him, where he kisses me, and then licks the remaining semen from around my mouth before kissing me again. I can taste him in my mouth and swallow as he moans again kissing me feverishly.

"Oh God, baby, that was the best blow job I've ever had," he mutters against my neck.

I laugh, "I'm sure that's an exaggeration but I'll take it."

He nibbles against my neck before looking at me sincerely. Running his fingers through my hair tenderly, he smiles, that beautiful radiant smile that makes my heart beat just a little bit faster than it should.

"It was the best because it was by you, the man I love, and to be honest I don't even think I was that good the first time I did that."

I furrow my brow slightly, "I know that was a while ago but yeah, I really don't want the visual of you with anyone else in my head."

He kisses me again, "All preparation for you, baby," he mumbles against my lips.

He lays me down on the couch and settles between my legs as he continues to kiss me until neither of us can breathe. He then moves to my neck, kissing me up and down before winding up back at my lips, kissing me softly. He lifts himself up some, running his thumb along my now swollen bottom lip.

"I can't get enough of you," he grins.

"The feeling is mutual," I reply as I pull him back down to me.

We kiss for another ten minutes, at least, before he finally pulls away from me, hopping off the sofa and reaching his hands down to help me up. He has the silliest grin on his face which makes me extremely happy inside as I reluctantly get up, not wanting our make out session to cease. His hand slides around my waist as he walks me to his dining room.

"Let me feed you," he says seductively as he kisses my temple.

I watch him stroll into the kitchen and have to smile at his giddiness. I take the moment to look around his apartment. It's very nice, chic, with dark furniture and abstract art everywhere. He has flowers in vases strategically placed on the breakfast bar, the end tables near the sofa, a book case, and a small table near the door. They release a beautiful scent into the air that I am just now noticing.

I walk towards the table which is already elegantly set with embroidered napkins, sterling silver flatware, lead crystal wine glasses and fine china. In the middle of the table are three clear vases of varying sizes with candles floating in some form of water or oil, I can't really tell, and in the vases are rocks and a flower. He already has a basket on the table with bread in it and as I lean down to take a whiff I realize that it is homemade. Sitting next to the bread is the butter which is on a crystal butter dish with two small knives on a smaller napkin next to the dish. This is some set up. Hell if I was a chick I would probably already be ripping my panties off and giving him head, oh wait, I sort of already did that. I grin and shake my head and then feel his body flush against mine.

"What are you grinning at?" he whispers as his lips touch my earlobe.

"You sure have this entertaining thing down," I say turning my head slightly.

He smiles and gives me a peck on the lips, "Let the wooing begin."

He hands me a small goblet with some dark liquid in it while he sets a bottle of wine on the table, opening it to let it breathe. I take a sip of what I realize is bourbon. It's smooth and goes down easily. I glance his way as he walks past me, watching as he meanders over to a stereo embedded in his entertainment cabinet. Soon I hear the gentle strum of a guitar. I tilt my head to the side and close my eyes, enjoying the sounds filling the room.

"His name is Stanley Jordan. I was visiting a friend of mine last year at Princeton and this guy was playing. He was amazing. Then after the show he was selling a bunch of records on this little table at the back of this bar," he laughs, "He was real cool. He said he was working on an album. My buddy Garrett and I talked to him for a couple of hours. Do you like it?"

I nod, "He's really good but I've never heard of him."

"You will, babe. I have a good ear for music and this guy is really going to be famous one day."

I smile at his enthusiasm. He is already back in the kitchen putting stuff together for our meal as he tells me all about his evening with this guy and how he has this unusual way of playing guitar that allows him to play both the melody and the chords at the same time. I don't know what the hell that means but Liam is very excited about it. At one point he demonstrates with this broom he pulls out of the tidiest closet I have ever seen. Then he drops the broom back into the closet, washes his hands and finishes putting together our food.

"So, this Garrett guy, was he, you know," I shake my head at my idiocy. WOW! That was really smooth. I quickly take a sip of my bourbon, embarrassed.

He looks over his shoulder and smirks, "Are you asking if Garrett was my lover?"

I wince at his choice of words and shake my head, "Never mind, sorry, I don't want to know."

He steps away from our food and kisses me softly on my lips, "Garrett and I are friends. We met a few years ago when I went back east for a workshop. We hit it off immediately but no, we were never lovers, although, I did ask him out," he says with a chuckle.

He walks back to the food and immediately starts sautéing some vegetables.

"Talk about an awkward conversation," he laughs again, "but he ended up being a wonderful friend of mine. Probably the closest thing I have ever had to a best friend," he turns to me and smiles, "Do you know how to cook, El?" he asks changing the subject.

I shake my head and he grins before turning back around and tossing some meat into another pan.

"I usually eat out," I say watching him move around the kitchen, "and well, it's obvious that you know how to cook." I say finishing off my bourbon.

"Yes, I do love to cook. I know, it's a stereotype, but what can I say, I like it."

"Do you need help with anything?"

"I thought you said you couldn't cook," he looks over his shoulder again and winks.

"I can't really but I can set things out, unless that will mess up your whole Julia Child's thing you have going on here," I laugh when he arches his brow at me.

"Are you teasing me, El?" he asks with a smirk.

I raise my hands and chuckle, "you do your thing, baby."

He grins and turns back around, finishing up whatever he is cooking. I take a moment to wander around his apartment and on my way I stop in the doorway of his bedroom. It's a very nice room with a large king-size bed that I'm immediately drawn to. Before I realize it, I am standing right there running my hand along the comforter. I glance around and see a picture on the dresser and walk over to look at it. It's him and a girl with long red hair and he's kissing the top of her head. He said he's never been with a woman before so I am assuming this is his sister, Siobhan. I turn back around and walk back to the bed, sitting down on the edge. I close my eyes as I fall back, bringing one of my hands over my chest.

"That has to be the best sight I have ever seen," he says from the door.

I smile but don't move.

"Dinner's ready," he says but his voice is a little shaky.

I sit up and look at him. He is leaning against the door frame, his gaze never leaves mine. I strut over to him and when I reach him I kiss him softly on the lips.

"I want you, Liam. Tonight," I whisper huskily against his lips, "No more waiting."

He breathes in deeply and nods, "Tonight."

I walk past him, grabbing his hand as I lead him out of the room. When I reach the dining room I smile widely. This man was not kidding about the wooing bit. He has lit the candles on the table and lowered the lighting in the room. The plates are already set out with some form of seared salmon over what looks like couscous and mixed vegetables. Well, I know who's cooking in this relationship.

"I have no words," I say as I glance at him.

"How about, I love you," he says quietly as he kisses me.

* * *

**A/N… ahhh, my boys, okay, they're men but my boys flows better…LOL…Now, if you have never heard of Stanley Jordan he is a famous guitarist who came to fame in the mid 80's and early 90's. He has won numerous Grammy's but back in 1982 he was trying to make it. He produced his first album **_**Touch Sensitive**_** on an independent label called Tangent Records. He toured a lot of little bars, selling stuff and that seemed to fit with Liam's love of music and up and coming artists that I established in ADH… I put a video on the blog for one of his songs. Go check it out. He's amazing… I also put Liam's pan seared salmon recipe on the blog as well for any foodies out there.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So our Liam is definitely the wooing kind of guy and yes he is a little OCD, all my stories have someone that is that way…LOL**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"To love at first sight," he says raising his glass.

"To so much more than that," I reply.

He nods and we clink glasses as we start our meal. The conversation is all over the place, from work to music to movies. Liam loves almost all music and entertainment indicating that's what he likes to do in his down time. He also indicated he loves the idea of traveling but hasn't traveled very much as his family was not wealthy and the money his father earned went towards taking care of all of them. It was one of the reasons he came to the states, as it was one less mouth to feed. He has worked very hard but never taken the time to go anywhere. I am going to have to rectify that. When dinner is over he stands and reaches for my hand.

"Do you want to watch something?" he asks causally.

I shake my head, "Let's go to bed," I say, pulling him against my chest.

He brings his hands to my hair and he gets a thoughtful look on his face, "Are you sure your ready for this?"

"More than sure," I say bringing my lips to his.

He nods, "Meet me in the bedroom," he says slapping my ass as he walks to the entertainment cabinet.

I grin and make my way back to his room. I immediately start unbuttoning my shirt and slip it off, pulling my undershirt off as well. I hear him walk inside and then feel him running his fingertips down my back. I actually shiver from his touch. He shows me an album and I nod before slipping my pants off as well. I lie on the bed watching him as he sets the record on the machine and moves the lever on the arm so it will repeat. He starts stripping for me as Etta James croons in the background. He then walks into the closet and brings out several candles, placing them around the room, lighting them before he strolls over to the bed.

"So were you expecting to get lucky tonight?" I ask with a sly grin.

He smiles and crawls over me, kissing me up and down my neck and collar bone.

"I got lucky the day we met," he whispers as his hand moves over my penis.

He starts kissing my chest, circling his tongue around my nipples and then works his way down to start sucking on my cock. My hand moves to the back of his head, letting the curls wrap around my fingers, enjoying how good he makes me feel. When I start writhing and moaning below him he stops and moves back up, laying us on our side as he kisses me again. He pulls away, laying soft and tender kisses all over my face before he reaches back and opens his nightstand drawer, his hand goes inside and snatches out a tube of something but I'm distracted by his mouth on my lips. He squirts lube on my fingers and I immediately insert them inside of him as our kiss deepens. After several minutes he pulls my fingers out and places his free hand on my jaw.

"I love you, El," he whispers as I feel him rubbing lube on my cock.

"I love you, too," I breathe out in a gasp as he guides me to his entrance.

He nods and I start to push inside of him, his face contorts slightly, and he has a look of both pain and pleasure on his face. It takes everything in me not to just push all the way in because he feels so fucking amazing. He nods and I push even further until I'm balls deep inside of him. He kisses me, breathing against my mouth as the song changes.

"I want a Sunday kind of love, a love to last past Saturday night and I'd like to know it's more than love at first sight…" he softly sings the lyrics against my lips, kissing me tenderly as I start to move slowly in and out of him. "I want a love that's on the square, can't seem to find somebody, someone to care and I'm on a lonely road that leads to nowhere. I need a Sunday kind of love."

I continue my gentle and steady pace while he kisses me again, moaning into my mouth. My mind and body are on fire, I've never felt this connected, this loved by anyone. I bring my hand to cup his cheek and kiss him softly before I begin singing the lyrics of the next verse to him.

"I'm hoping to discover, a certain kind of lover, who will show me the way and my arms need someone, someone to enfold, to keep me warm when Mondays and Tuesdays grow cold, love for all my life to have and to hold. I want Sunday kind of love."

He is looking at me with such love and devotion in his eyes that I want to cry. Our lips touch again as we continue to make love, the sound of our kissing and fervent moans blending with the sweet sounds of Etta James in the background. He throws his leg over mine and bends his knee at my hip, opening himself up a little more for me. I take full advantage and thrust into him over and over again. Our breathing becomes severely labored and I know I am going to come.

"Te amaré por siempre." I stutter out as his mouth envelopes mine again, his tongue seeking my tongue as I thrust into him one last time before I release within him, his mouth capturing every sound that I make.

~LoN~

When I walk out into the living room he is fiddling with his music. I smile and walk up behind him pulling him close to me as my mouth goes to his neck and my hand starts rubbing his cock through his slacks. He leans back against me and turns slightly so I can kiss him. I have to admit I can't get enough; he's like some kind of drug, a siren call to my soul. I am in constant need of his body against me, his lips on mine, my hands caressing him, my cock inside him. He hasn't made any attempt to fuck me but I don't know if that is by choice or the fact I haven't given him the chance. Every kiss, every touch always ends the same way, me fucking him. I've never had this much sex in my life. I'm actually surprised he can still walk.

"Maybe we can go out another night," I mumble and kiss his neck, "I want to fuck you."

"You're insatiable, Mr. Whitlock," he chuckles and then exhales loudly as I squeeze his expanding cock.

"Do you object?" I grit out before tilting his head to the side.

"Can I plead the fifth?" he sighs as his hand goes over mine, attempting to stop my ministrations.

"Un uh, the fifth amendment doesn't apply here," I say, unzipping his pants and sticking my hand inside, letting my fingers touch his flesh. A soft moan emanates from his chest that is now heaving.

"El, baby, as much as I love feeling you inside me, we really need to go," he says with much less conviction.

I groan and kiss his neck one last time before backing away from him. He quickly readjusts himself and then runs his hand over my ass, slapping it. I flinch slightly which makes him laugh. Okay, I think he is definitely holding back on me. In fact, I think he may be a little kinkier than he has shown me. Maybe because it's my first sexual experience he is taking it easy and letting me do whatever I want. Hmm, that thought unfortunately makes me think about the other men who have kissed him, touched him, fucked him. I shake my head and frown as I try to get rid of the thought of him being intimate with anyone else. He catches my grimace as we are walking out of his apartment.

"What's wrong?" he asks as he gets into the car.

I shake my head, feeling like an idiot for even trying to be upset about the fact that he knew who he was at a young age and never tried to hide it like I did. And of course he has been with other people; he's 26 and gorgeous, why wouldn't he have. I am sure men throw themselves at him all the time. How can I be upset about that when I've been with other women? I turn to the window. But, I never cared about any of the women I was with, they were just a means to an end for me. I wonder if he ever cared about the men he was with, has he been in love before. I wonder if...

"Damn it, El, tell me what the hell is wrong?" he says angrily and I actually turn to him, startled by his tone.

"It's nothing. In fact, it's really stupid," I say flustered.

He glances back at the road and then at me again, his expression softening some, "Please tell me. I am sure it isn't stupid as I can't imagine anything stupid coming out of your mouth," he says reaching out for my hand.

I sigh and take his hand in mine, "I hate the fact that I know nothing and that you have all this… experience."

He chuckles and I narrow my eyes at him, to which he sighs.

"El, you're perfect and I've been very satisfied."

"But…" I say arching my brow at him, urging him to elaborate.

He glances at me confused, "There is no but. I love you, what more is there?"

"But you want to…" I continue. He has this flustered look on his face like he doesn't know what the hell I'm talking about. Finally I blurt out, "But you want to fuck me as well, right?"

The corner of his lip quirks up, "Yes, I do, very much so."

"So," I hesitate, "would you rather fuck or be fucked." I ask very seriously because I'm not so sure about the whole being fucked part. I do want to with him, I want to do everything with him but I'm really nervous about it.

"I like both," he says trying to hold back the laugh that's begging to come out, "but I won't fuck you until you're ready," he adds.

"What if I'm never ready?" I ask suddenly worried that he will be dissatisfied with the relationship.

He must sense my concern because he turns to me and traces his fingers along my face, "Then it will be fine. Like I said, I like it both ways, so if you want to be on top all the time I am alright with that, okay?"

I kiss his palm and nod. I don't ever remember feeling this way before. I've never been insecure in my entire life. I don't like this feeling at all. I glance around and see we have stopped across the street from a small nightclub of some sort. He smiles as he gets out and walks around the car to meet me at my door. He doesn't take my hand though and I'm not sure if I am relieved or sad about that fact.

"Liam, wow, long time no see man, where you been?"

"You know how it is, busy time of the year."

He nods, "You're gonna like Jordan; he's right up your alley," he says before glancing at me.

"I've seen him before. He's great. Michael, this is my friend, Eleazar Whitlock."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Whitlock, any friend of Liam's is a friend of mine. Welcome to my club."

"Thank you, Michael but please call me Eleazar," I say with a smile.

He smiles and nods and steps aside so we can walk inside. As we enter the club it is dark but there are already people lingering around, some dancing. At first I was a little worried that he was taking me to a gay bar, which I'm not sure I'm ready for, but this seems like a lot of the bars in Houston. There's a small stage with one chair set up and a microphone. Liam directs me to a small booth in the corner. As we sit down a waitress comes over and starts making eyes at Liam, and I realize that people here probably don't know he's gay. That's interesting.

"What can I get you, Mr. O'Reilly?" She says seductively to him.

Liam turns to me with a smile, "Do you want wine or a beer or, hell, whatever you want they can make it."

"A beer is fine."

He turns back to her, "A couple of Guinness's."

Once she's gone he slips his hand under the table and rests it on my leg. I smile as I place mine on top of his, entwining our fingers. After about twenty minutes, a young African American man comes out with a guitar in his hand. He starts talking about who he is and his new album called _Touch Sensitive_ and that he has copies if people would like to buy one after the show. Of course Liam is grinning, excited to get that album.

"I love you," I whisper as I squeeze his hand.

He smiles brightly, "I love you, too, El."

We both turn to the stage as Mr. Jordan begins playing. The show itself is absolutely amazing. This kid can really play. The best part though was just being there, out in the open with Liam. There was of course a part of me that wanted to kiss him like some of the other couples were doing but we stuck to simply holding hands under the table. Once Stanley Jordan was done he talked to several people and then came to our table. He reached out his hand to Liam who grasped it tightly.

"I thought that was you, man. How you been?"

"I've been great. Stanley, this is my good friend, Eleazar."

"Nice to meet you, man," he says to me.

"Same here, you were great," I say.

"Thanks, appreciate that," he says with a genuine smile before sitting down with us.

We spend the next several hours visiting with him about his music, where he has been playing and where he's heading next. We bought a couple of albums, one for my house and one for Liam's and then basically closed the bar down. Liam had stopped drinking over an hour ago and I am nursing my last one. The owner then sits with us for another 30 minutes before we decide to head back to the house.

"You okay to drive?" I ask as we start for the door.

He laughs, "Baby, I'm Irish, it's gonna take a hell of a lot more than what we drank in here to knock me on my ass," he opens the door for me and I step outside.

"Isn't that a stereotype?" I drunk laugh as we cross the street.

"Well, in this case, it's true. You should see my brothers," he shakes his head as he opens the door for me, "They could probably out drink anyone on the planet," he finishes as he gets in the car and starts it up.

I laugh and he leans over and kisses me, long and hard before pulling away and licking his lips, "I've wanted to do that all night," he exclaims.

I move my hand over his lap and undo his belt, slowly unzipping his pants and releasing his cock which responds immediately to my touch. I stroke him a couple times as his eyes close and his head lulls back against the seat.

"Let's go home," I say huskily and watch his head nod slowly.

* * *

**A/N… Special shout out to my girl LayAtHomeMom who suggested the Etta James song. You were right Liam's an old soul and needed an old song for his grand gesture :-) **** I posted a video on the blog for anyone who has never heard A Sunday Kind of Love which was off of Etta James' **_**At Last**_** album. Does anyone else remember what it was like to put a record on repeat? Yes, this was back in the day where people actually had records, hehehe… On another note, I am sure you noticed that my boys didn't use a condom. This was 1982 and honestly, NO ONE used condoms during this time, this was before all the safe sex talks, before AIDs hit, before people understood the word monogamy...LOL… yes, the 80's were an interesting decade, at least what I remember of it *wink wink***

**Spanish Translation:  
****Te amaré por siempre - ****Love you forever**


	10. Chapter 10

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Ahhh, their first time, so sweet and special.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

We are still kissing at the door, every time one of us pulls away the other starts again. We have already fucked twice since waking up this morning and, to be honest, I could go for a third especially with the way he keeps kissing me. I should have left ten minutes ago but we haven't been able to pull ourselves away knowing that we won't be seeing each other for another month. A month! God, what the hell am I supposed to do in that time? Hopefully I will be assigned a new case that will keep me busy so that I don't miss him as much.

"I need to leave," I sigh as my back rests against the door, "My mom is expecting me after she gets out of church and if I'm late there will be hell to pay," I say with a slight grin, "Mexican mothers can be pretty fierce. You have no idea."

He smiles before setting his hands against the door on either side of my head and proceeds to kiss me again. My body immediately melts against his, always wanting more. He pulls away only slightly, his eyes still closed.

"Will you call me when you get home? I don't care if it's late," he says as he begins kissing me tenderly along my jaw.

"I will," I hum, relishing the feel of his lips on me.

"I wish I was going with you. I hate that you're telling her and I can't be there in case it doesn't go well," he sighs as his head rests at my neck, kissing me lightly there, "Maybe you could tell her another time, after I get back from Dallas?" he suggests but I shake my head.

"My mother is a strict Catholic. She's not going to approve as is but I don't want to risk her treating you badly or blaming you, which she most likely will. If she is angry at me, I can handle that but I couldn't handle it if she treated you horribly. No, I need to do this alone, baby, please understand," I say as he nods, "I better go. It's still a 90 minute drive from here."

He chuckles, "Babe, I think it's more like a two hour drive."

I grin and arch my brow, "Maybe for you, but not the way I drive."

He laughs as he looks at me and then moves his body flush against mine, pushing me harder against the door. His hard cock rubbing against my own hardness makes me twitch. I'm high on want and need and I can feel it from him as well.

"Unnhh, I don't want you to leave yet," he growls before kissing me again.

"I don't want to go either but I need to," I mutter through our kiss.

His lips move back to my neck as he rotates his hips against me. His mouth works up to my ear where he is breathing huskily, "Fuck me, El," he hums.

I groan loudly as my hands immediately move into his hair, grabbing a handful of curls. I bring his lips back to mine and kiss him again before I flip him around so that he is facing the door. I yank his shorts down and whip my cock out, running my tip between his cheeks. He moans and juts his ass out, then grunts and pants loudly as I plunge into him. I probably should have prepped him but hell, he doesn't seem to mind. I reach around his waist and grab his cock in my hand, stroking him in time with my thrusts. So I'm a little late to my mother's, it's worth it.

~LoN~

By the time I arrive in Corpus Christi I am only a half hour late thanks to my fast and reckless driving abilities. I park in front of her house and see several cars already there. Wonderful! She has called everyone to say I'm home. I suppose if I actually came home more than once or twice a year my homecomings wouldn't be such a production. I sigh and check my complexion while making sure I don't have any hickeys showing. I turn when I hear the front door open and my cousin Bobby comes barreling out. He stops when he sees my car and practically runs over to me. I smile and get out giving him a huge hug when he reaches me.

"Holy shit, Cabrón, where the hell you been?"

I laugh, "Working, man," I grab his shoulder while he grabs mine.

"Not just working I see," he wags his brows and moves my collar revealing a large hickey near my collarbone.

I frown and fix my shirt. Shit! If he noticed it mom will too, no doubt.

"You better hide that. You know your mom likes to pretend you're a virgin," then he steps back and bows dramatically towards the door, "The golden boy returns."

I frown, "Fuck you, Pendejo."

"Oohh, such foul language, Eleazar," he says laughing and nudging me.

He starts walking but I don't move. I wash my hands over my face trying to get my nerves under control. How am I supposed to tell her when I have everyone here watching? Bobby grabs me by the arm and then messes up my hair.

"Lighten up, Cuz, I'm just messin' with you."

"I know. I…" I blow out a breath, "I need to talk to mom about something but now everyone is here," I glance towards the house suddenly feeling like an adolescent and not a grown man.

"What's going on? You look upset."

I shake my head and put my hand on the hood of my car. Bobby leans against the car, studying me. We grew up together and he's the cousin I am closest too, we were like brothers. His father died when he was young as well so we seemed to understood each other the best. Of course he was the one always in trouble while I was the one always studying. He has been in prison a few times for gang-related things but his propensity for troublemaking has lessened as he's gotten older.

"Eleazar, did you do something illegal?" he asks, crossing his arms.

"What? No, of course not," I say flustered that that would be his first thought.

He breathes out a sigh of relief, "Good, you've always been the respectable one. The person from the neighborhood that everyone could be proud of, always walking the straight and ..." I laugh at his terminology which makes him stop talking and give me a strange look, "What's going on with you, Eleazar? You're really acting weird. Did you get fired or something?"

I frown, "No, it's nothing about work," I say running my hands over my face again.

"Whatever it is I'm sure it's going to be fine," he finishes.

"We'll see," I say with a half-smile.

"Hey, tell me then, you know I ain't gonna be mad and we can figure out how everyone else will react," he suggests.

I stare at him for a long time, "I met someone."

He smiles, "That someone not being Carmen I guess."

I nod and he laughs, "Your mom's been planning your wedding to her for years," he says shaking his head, "Who is she?"

I lick my lips and watch him, "His name is Liam."

His smile fades and he stands up straight. He looks pissed.

"What the fuck, Eleazar, you're a fucking faggot. Is that what you're saying?" he practically screams and I stand up, looking around to see if anyone heard him.

He is shaking his head, "No fucking way. You could have any fucking girl you want; fucking beautiful women throw themselves at you. No fucking way you're a fag," he starts backing away from me, still shaking his head.

I go to touch his arm and he jerks away from me. "Stay the fuck away from me, Eleazar."

My eyes initially water, hurt that he won't support me after everything I did for him and the unquestioning support I always gave him. He is looking at me with disgust and now I'm pissed. He's acting like being gay is contagious or something I can control.

"So that's how it is huh? After everything we've been through. All those times I was there for you. I thought out of everyone you would have my back but I guess not," I say pushing him out of my way as I make my way to the house.

When I get to the front door I turn around to see if he is still there but he is already gone. Fuck! The minute the door opens my senses are assaulted with the smell of Menudo as it wafts through the house. I can also pick up the distinct smells of enchiladas in the oven, onions and peppers, and my favorite green sauce. I close my eyes for a moment, taking it all in, I'm home. When I open my eyes and look around I see my uncles in the living room watching a game and yelling at the television in Spanish. When they see me they jump up shouting my name as if I am a mile away and rush towards me to give me hugs. That's when I hear a scream from the kitchen and my mother comes bursting through the door.

"MIJO!" She yells as she grabs me and squeezes me tightly.

I kiss her cheeks, "Madre, es bueno para ser casero."

She is nodding and crying. She then drags me into the kitchen where my aunts proceed to fawn all over me, wanting to know everything that's been happening. After a few minutes I grab a tortilla from the pile my Tia is making. She tries to slap my hand away but I move quickly and back away laughing as I sneak back to the living room with my uncles.

"How's work, Eleazar? Work any good cases lately?"

I laugh, "I can't talk about my cases but work is going fine. I think I'll make partner soon." I say proudly.

They nod and smile, "You just missed Bobby."

"I saw him on my way in," I say grabbing some chips and salsa.

"Why didn't he come back in then?"

I shrug, "Who's playing?" I say as a distraction which works because they start talking about the soccer game.

We watch the game while the women finish up in the kitchen. I keep looking at the door hoping Bobby will come back but he doesn't. When the food is ready my mom calls us all into the kitchen where she has a spread of food. Menudo is simmering on the oven, beans and rice, enchiladas, fresh tortillas and tamales are all spread along the kitchen table. We all take hands and my mom starts praying.

"Hoy el Señor nos bendijo como mi hijo ha regresado a casa, a su familia." I hear everyone muttering yes and then she continues, "No hay nada más importante que la familia, no importa si hacemos bien o mal estamos todos aquí uno para el otro," I glance at her and her eyes are closed tightly but she is smiling happily as she continues, "Bendiga a nosotros, Oh Señor y estos los regalos que estamos a punto de recibir su recompensa a través de Cristo nuestro Señor. Amén."

"Amén." Everyone says in unison.

We all eat and laugh. The food is phenomenal and oddly enough all I can think about is how much better this would all be if Liam was with me. He should be. If everyone saw how we looked at one another then they would understand. He was right. I should have done this with him. As people filter out I am left alone in the kitchen with mom while she is doing dishes. I figure it's best to just bite the bullet and get it over with since no one is around.

"Mom, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Sure, Mijo, what is it?"

I run my fingers up the back of my neck and close my eyes, trying to figure out how to do this. She glances over her shoulder and sees the worried look on my face.

"Did you and Carmen get into a fight?" she queries, "You have avoided all talk of her today."

"No, it's nothing like that."

"Why didn't you bring her, Mijo?"

"Mom, Carmen and I aren't a couple. We never will be."

Now she stops washing and turns around, wiping her wet hands on the towel near the sink.

"I've met someone and I'm very much in love," I start out.

She smiles, "Well, that's good, Mijo, so what's the problem?"

"There is none. I hope," I say carefully.

"Well, tell me about her. Is she Mexican? Is she catholic? Is she…" I raise my hand to cut her off.

"He is not Mexican, he's Irish, but yes he's catholic."

Her eyes widen, "What are you saying, Eleazar? Why do you keep saying _he_?" she says swallowing thickly.

"Because, well, because I've fallen in love with an amazing man that I met a month ago in Houston. He lives in San Antonio and I think you'll really like him once you get to know him. He's wonderful and kind and so smart. He and I..." I pause, seeing her shaking her head and suddenly her face morphs into anger.

"No, no, no, no," she yells as she runs into the living room.

I follow her and see her grab her rosary beads off the mantel and drop to her knees before the large picture of Jesus she has on the wall. She starts praying in Spanish, asking God to strip me of this ailment that has overcome me. She begins pleading for some sort of divine intervention that will take this malady from me. If she didn't look so distraught I would laugh at how well I predicted her response to the news. I kneel down next to her and touch her arm.

"Pray with me, Mijo. God can help you," she says with heartfelt sincerity.

"God made me this way, mama."

"It's a sin, Mijo," she says crying.

I shake my head, "How can loving someone be a sin?"

"But it is, Mijo, it is," she says firmly.

"Why would he make me like this if it was a sin?" I try to reason but she just shakes her head.

"You can't see this man again," she says indignantly as if I was an errant child.

"Mama, I love him and he loves me. I won't stop seeing him because you don't approve or because the church says I shouldn't love him."

She starts crying and turns away from me, muttering in Spanish and gripping her beads so tight I think she might actually break them. I try talking to her some more but it's too late, she won't say anything. She just keeps praying, as if who I am will magically revert to who she wants me to be, who I pretended to be for so long. I stand and walk to the door and turn before exiting but she doesn't turn around. I sigh and leave her kneeling in my old home that I am apparently no longer welcome in.

* * *

**A/N… Hmm, yes, that didn't go so well for El but really did anyone believe it would? Although things are different now and people are a little more open about homosexuality, you need to remember that this was thirty years ago when being gay wasn't openly accepted. Alright, folks check out the blog for some pictures of who I envisioned as Eleazar's mother as well as Bobby.**

**Spanish Translation:**

**1. Madre, es bueno para ser casero – Mother it's good to be home**

**2. Hoy el Señor nos bendijo como mi hijo ha regresado a casa, a su familia. – Today the Lord blessed us as my son has returned home, to his family.**

**3. No hay nada más importante que la familia, no importa si hacemos bien o mal estamos todos aquí uno para el otro – There is nothing more important than family, it doesn't matter if we do well or badly we are all here for each other**

**4. Bendiga a nosotros, Oh Señor y estos los regalos que estamos a punto de recibir su recompensa a través de Cristo nuestro Señor. Amén – Bless us, o Lord, and these gifts which we are about to receive their reward through Christ our Lord. Amen**


	11. Chapter 11

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So hmmm, that was a little rough for El.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

I get to my car quickly, looking one last time to see if Bobby is anywhere in sight. When I don't see him I start my car and take off. I can't get out of Corpus Christi quick enough. The drive to Houston is normally three hours but I make it in two and half. All I can hear and see in my head are Bobby and mom's reactions. She is going to pretend I am not here anymore; she'll disown me for this, as will Bobby. I try to stop the tears from falling from my eyes but I can't so I just let them come. By the time I get to my condo I have shifted the sadness I feel to rage. How dare they act this way? Aren't I still the same person I was before, hell, I'm better than I was before. I'm happy, I'm in love, I'm finally me. I slam the door once inside and throw my bag on the floor and then remember the album.

"FUCK!" I yell at the top of my lungs. I reach for my bag. My tears flowing again, "Please, please, don't be broken."

I pull it out of my bag and inspect it, finding it in perfect condition. I set it on the counter and walk to my bar, pouring some bourbon and downing it quickly. I take a deep breath and walk to the phone, picking it up and dialing Liam. He must have the phone nearby because he picks it up on the first ring.

"_El, how'd it go?" _

_I don't say anything. I just close my eyes trying to hold it together._

"_Baby, what happened?" he says with urgency._

_I shrug as if he could see me._

"_El, baby, please talk to me. What happened?" he says in almost a panic._

"_Let's see, my cousin who has always been like a brother to me, called me a faggot and told me to leave him alone and my mom won't talk to me. I left with her praying for God to heal me of this sickness within me," I say trying to mask the despair I feel but I know he picks up on it._

"_Oh shit! El, I'm so sorry."_

"_It's not your fault," I run my fingers through my hair, "Umm, I am really tired. I'm going to jump in the shower and get some rest. My head is kind of spinning right now."_

_He's quiet, "Sure, babe, I'll talk to you later," he says quietly._

"_Can you call me when you get to Dallas?"_

"_I was planning to," he says sweetly._

_I run my thumb and forefingers along my eyes, trying to stop them from watering._

"_I love you, El."_

"_I know. I love you, too," I say distractedly, "Bye."_

I hang up and walk into the bathroom. As I'm removing my clothes I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and turn to face it. My eyes are bloodshot and red from crying so much. I blink a few times before running my fingers over the numerous marks on my chest and shoulders. A shiver runs through me as I remember receiving every single one of them. I place my hands on the sink counter and stare at my image in the mirror.

"He's worth it," I say to myself and nod at my reflection, "And she'll come around eventually."

I take an extra-long shower, letting the hot spray release the tension in my body and relax my troubled mind. I feel immensely better after I get out. I change into some sleep pants and decide what suit and tie I will wear tomorrow. Afterwards, I look at the phone and feel an immense pang of guilt for being so short with Liam earlier. I try to call him but he doesn't pick up. That's weird. I try once more and then set the phone down. When it rings I answer quickly assuming it's him.

"_Hey, baby. I just tried to call you," I say immediately._

"_Eleazar," Carmen says confused._

"_Oh, sorry, I thought you were someone else."_

_She laughs uneasily, "Well, obviously."_

"_What's going on?" I ask, wanting to get off the phone with her so I can try Liam again._

"_Your mom called me."_

"_Whhaaatttt?" I stutter._

"_She wanted to know what had happened between us and encouraged me to help you see that I was a better fit for you. I'm sorry. She caught me by surprise," she says quickly, "but I wanted you to know that we spoke."_

I start pacing in my room and then wander into the living room, continuing my pacing in there. I can't believe my mom called her. What does mom want? Me to fuck Carmen and say oh yeah I changed my mind, girls are what I want. Oops, I made a mistake. My God! that is what she wants. That's never going to happen.

"_Eleazar, are you okay? Do you want me to come over?" she asks._

"_What? No, I don't want you to come over. Shit! What the hell is wrong with everyone? I don't want you Carmen; this isn't some fucking game. I love him, period," I say frustrated and angry._

"_I just thought you might like some company. I didn't mean anything by it," she replies hurt._

"_I'm sorry Carmen that was rude of me. I just… she wasn't supportive and Bobby…" I run my hand through my hair pacing through my living room again, pouring another shot and downing it quickly, "He walked away from me and then when I talked to Liam when I got home I was really short with him, now I can't reach him and he's leaving in the morning for a month and shit, I don't want him leaving thinking I am, I don't know, angry or something because I'm not." I blurt out, unsure why I am telling her any of this._

"_Eleazar, first off you need to calm down and stop pacing," she says forcefully._

_I sigh and sit down on the couch._

"_If he loves you half as much as you obviously love him then he will understand. He could be in the shower or going to the bathroom for all you know. Now, I'm really sorry about your mom but she loves you. She needs some time to wrap her head around it. And honestly, Eleazar, you are the only man I know that can think five or six moves ahead of everyone so don't tell me that how your mom and Bobby reacted was something you didn't anticipate," she finishes._

"_I expected it; I just didn't want to be right," I mumble into the phone._

"_Eleazar, you can't expect everyone to welcome this news with open arms. You are the last person people would expect to be gay. It will be a shock."_

"_I know but… shouldn't I be able to have with him what you and I had? Shouldn't I be allowed to love who I want to love?"_

_I can hear her sigh, "Of course you should but people will react negatively to you. Ask yourself this, Eleazar, before you met this man had you ever seen an openly gay couple at any of the places we went, any openly gay doctors or lawyers, because I didn't and I still don't. In fact, what are you going to do when Mr. Montgomery invites you to all those business functions that require you to bring a date? Are you going to bring him?" she asks._

"_I haven't thought about that."_

"_You're lying, Eleazar," she huffs angrily._

"_Alright, I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm just, winging it."_

"_Winging it, you're winging it?" she asks between laughs._

_What the hell is so funny about that?_

"_Eleazar, you are the most focused person I know. You have had your life planned out from the time you were very little and now, when you are so close to making partner, you're… winging it," she laughs again, "You must really love this guy. Makes me feel a little better because at least I know this isn't some fling you're willing to throw everything away for."_

"_Is that what you think? That I'm throwing my life away?" I ask with anger._

_She sighs heavily, "Eleazar, this relationship may cost you more than your partnership. I'm not saying it's a bad thing but I think you have to consider everything and not just what your feeling… physically for this man. He's already out, Eleazar, so he has nothing to lose. You are the one that is making the sacrifice here, not him," she says almost flippantly._

"_You're wrong, Carmen, but, ummm, I have to go. Thanks for calling to check on me," I say quickly and hang up before she can say anything else._

Now, my head hurts again. I try his number and still get no answer. Where the hell is he? I look at the clock; it's just after 11:00. I go get another drink and then look through my albums, when I find what I'm searching for I smile and put it on, soon Etta James is playing in the background. My heart feels lighter immediately as I sit on the couch and set my drink down. I close my eyes and can almost feel him right here with me and before I realize it I have fallen asleep on the couch.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

My eyes flutter open as I hear knocking on my door that seems to be getting louder and louder. I rise and glance at the clock, hell, it's close to 2:00 in the morning. I suddenly get angry, figuring its Carmen coming over even though I told her not too.

"Carmen, I told you I didn't…" I stop when I see Liam standing there, arching his brow at me.

"You were expecting Carmen?" he questions and I can almost hear some anger in his tone.

I throw the door open and pull him inside. "She called earlier but…" I smile, "What are you doing here. Don't you need to leave this morning?" I ask confused.

He leans into me and kisses me softly, "I changed my flight so that I could fly out of Houston. I needed to see you," he runs his fingers along my face, "You sounded really upset. I couldn't leave you like that," he kisses me again.

"I'm sorry I was short with you."

He smiles and then glances around my condo. I see his eyes zero in on the whiskey on my table that I didn't finish and then he walks to my record player, turning it off. He then picks up the drink and downs it before walking back to me.

"Why were you on the couch, El?"

I shake my head, "I fell asleep there."

He nods, "Let's go lay down. I know you get up really early."

He follows me into the bedroom and looks around and I realize he has never been inside here. He picked me up and dropped me off but he didn't look around. He smiles when he sees my suit hanging with a shirt on another hanger in front of it with my tie draped over it. He starts undressing leaving on his boxers and then slips under the covers, tapping the bed beside him. I smile and slide in facing him. His leg goes over my hip while I move one of my legs between his as he pulls me closer to him. He has a very contemplative look on his face.

"I came out to my parent's when I was fourteen. It was really hard for my family to accept when I first told them. Only my sister understood," he swallows and starts playing with the hair around my ear, "My brothers didn't talk to me for a year and my dad pretended that I was dead. My mom spent close to three months in the church praying for me, trying to make some kind of deal for my soul."

"I thought your family was supportive of you."

"They are now but they weren't then. It was a very difficult time in my life and another reason why I wanted to leave for the states. Even after my family 'accepted' it our relationship was different. There was a point where I felt so confused and alone that I actually thought about hurting myself. If it hadn't been for my sister, I probably would have."

My eyes widen at his declaration.

"I understand how it can be. I didn't want you to be alone with those feelings," he runs his fingertips down my jaw. "We're not doing anything wrong, El."

"I know, maybe I should have done it differently, maybe if I had done what you suggested and brought you with me she would have seen how much we love each other and that would have changed how she reacted."

"Just give her some time, okay?" he says, entwining his fingers in my hair, "I love you."

I smile, "I love you, too."

He kisses me and then pulls me even closer to him, "Everything will work out okay, now let's get some sleep, you have work soon and I have to catch a flight."

I start kissing along his neck, "What if I don't want to sleep?"

I feel and hear him chuckle against me, "You are definitely going to kill me."

"Do you want me to stop?" I ask as I grind against his already hard cock.

"No, not at all," he says intensely as he kisses me again.

* * *

**A/N… Ah, yes, poor Eleazar, his best laid plans for his life he is tossing out the window for love. So what do you think? Is Carmen a friend or a foe? And well, here's my little psychobabble blurb: unfortunately a lot of people who initially come out have thoughts of suicide. It can feel quite hopeless without support. I have seen it many times in my practice. The best course of action is to be understanding even if you aren't happy about it :-)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So how about we jump a head a few months?**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**July, 1982**

"So they are just going to let you take it?" Liam asks.

I laugh, "Yes, they will. It is available to all the partners," I say with a wink.

"A perk huh?" Liam raises an eyebrow.

I smirk at him, "Yes, a perk."

They made me partner last month. I had been disappointed that Liam couldn't come with me to the celebration dinner but there wasn't anything I could do about that. I ended up bringing Carmen instead. The three of us came to an agreement about six weeks ago. On one of the weekends Liam came down to see me, she asked if she could come and meet him. That she had something she wanted to discuss with us. Now, talk about an uncomfortable meeting. I shake my head just thinking about it.

_Liam is not happy about this but has agreed none the less. He is in my kitchen cooking. Last month when he spent his first weekend here, he realized I had nothing to cook with. We went out and bought cookware and groceries because he refused to eat out. Not when he said he could cook for me. Now we go grocery shopping whenever he is here. He already has the table set and when the knock comes I see him visibly sigh. I let her in and she smiles as she sees him although Liam doesn't turn to her at all. _

"_That smells wonderful," she says as I take her wrap and hang it in the closet._

_Liam finally glances at her, crossing his arms, his muscles flexing. I walk her over to the kitchen._

"_Liam, this is Carmen. Carmen, this is Liam."_

"_It's a pleasure to finally meet you," she says reaching her hand out._

_Liam wipes his hand off and shakes hers._

"_We actually met before," he says coolly._

_She sighs, "That's right," she looks down slightly, "I'm sorry about that."_

"_Not your fault," he says turning back around, "Dinner will be ready soon."_

_She looks at me and I shrug as I walk into the kitchen with Liam. Dinner is interesting to say the least. Liam seems annoyed and is on his fourth glass of wine which has not helped his demeanor at all. I keep eyeing him but then he just arches his brow as if to say, what? This was not a good idea and at this point I just want Carmen to say whatever it is she wants to say so she can leave and I can settle Liam down, either that or fuck the attitude out of him. I grin at that thought. Hmm, that's actually a promising idea, maybe I should... I sigh and glance at him as he stares at her with disdain, no that will be a problem. She needs to leave._

"_Carmen, you said you wanted to talk to the two of us?" I ask, trying to get the ball rolling._

_Liam pours us all another drink, "Yes, Carmen, pray tell, what would you like to say?"_

_I whip my head to Liam and narrow my eyes. He turns to me and has an angry and hostile expression on his face. What the hell is his problem?_

"_Liam, I'm not here to cause a problem," he shifts his angry gaze to her, she watches him for only a moment and then sets her napkin on the table, "You know what, never mind," she says standing up. _

_I turn and glare at Liam and stand up as well. She turns to walk away but stops and turns back around, staring at Liam and I know it's going to get bad quickly. You don't piss off a Latina, and Carmen is pissed. If she had sleeves I am sure she would be rolling them up right now. I turn to Liam and he seems unfazed, in fact there is a slight grin on his face. I turn back to her just as she starts stalking back towards the table._

"_I wanted to help you two but you're acting like an asshole and it makes me wonder if maybe you don't care about Eleazar as much as you say you do or else you wouldn't treat his friends so poorly," she spits out, waving her hands at him for emphasis._

"_You're not his 'friend', Carmen," he says standing up, his voice cold and fierce._

"_Yes, Liam I am. Do I still love him? Yes, I do but he has never once looked at me or talked about me the way he has with you." she looks down and mumbles several curse words in Spanish and then narrows her eyes at him, "Anyway, that's not why I'm here. I'm here because he has responsibilities and you'd be an idiot to pretend that he doesn't. He wants to make partner or don't you care about his professional goals? As long as your needs are met who the hell cares about his, is that how it is?" she says, walking up to him, her hands on her hips as she stares him down._

"_Don't you dare come in here and tell me how I presumably feel. You don't know me at all. I care about everything in El's life, his professional goals included. Why the hell do you think we're hiding around?" he raises his voice another octave, "Why else do you think I don't go to any of his work functions with him?" he yells and his face and neck are now red from his anger._

_She breathes in deeply, trying to calm herself down, "I wish we lived in a world where you could attend those functions with him but that's not how it is and he needs to be visible if he wants to make partner. He can't always go alone and you certainly can't go with him," she says purposefully._

"_I know what he needs to do to advance," he fumes, "What does this have to do with you?"_

"_I propose that, with your permission of course, I attend these functions with him. They already know me and I know them. I can help him achieve his goals and he can help with mine as well," she says, pushing a piece of her hair over her shoulder._

_Liam starts laughing crazily and all I can do is stare at the two of them in shock. I don't know what the hell is happening, all I know is that Liam is on fire and as hot as that is I can't let this continue. He needs to calm down. I go to say something but Liam puts his hand up and narrows his eyes at me. He then turns to Carmen and starts speaking in a calm but hostile way._

"_You're out of your fucking mind. I'm not letting him take you anywhere."_

_She shrugs and turns to walk away, stopping at the closet to grab her wrap and purse. She turns to me, shifting her anger in my direction. Why is she angry at me? Well, hell, I know I should have defended her or stopped Liam before it got out of hand but damn it I was frozen in shock. I'm still in shock. When I hear the door shut I turn to Liam, crossing my arms while I narrow my eyes at him._

"_You're not letting me?" I question, anger clearly under the surface._

_He crosses his arms as well, his expression not wavering, "You fucked her, El. A lot. I don't want you anywhere near her. We'll find another way," he says firmly._

"_This is very juvenile, Liam. I'm not a child and you don't get to tell me who I can and cannot be around. You were unnecessarily rude to her and you're wrong, she is my friend and she wanted to be our friend. I would never treat any of your friends like that," I uncross my arms and put my hands in my pockets. "Ya know, she wanted to help us but if you don't trust me then, well, I'm not sure how I feel about that," I say sadly._

_I down my drink and start clearing the table, not wanting to argue with him anymore. He stops me in the kitchen, pinning me against the sink while he brings his mouth close to mine._

"_I'm sorry. You're right," he taps his head against mine, pulling me closer to him, "It drives me crazy knowing what she was to you. She's a reflection of the normalcy you had, something you could have again if you wanted," he says, his voice shaky, "she would easily marry you, give you children, you wouldn't have to hide, you..." he doesn't finish his sentence. He has his eyes pinched closed but I can see tears trying to come out and his breathing is labored._

"_I have no desire for her," I say quietly, "You're the one I want to spend my life with."_

_His eyes open and the tears he tried to hold back, streak his face, "Yet she's the one that can be on your arm while I stay at home, unable to be a part of your life in that way," he lays a gentle kiss on my lips, "I'm sorry, El, I shouldn't have acted that way. Do you forgive me?"_

"What are you thinking about?" Liam asks, bringing me out of my memory.

"The day you met Carmen," I reply and see him roll his eyes.

I smirk and continue weaving in and out of traffic. Liam and I went to Carmen's house the next day and he apologized for his behavior. They came to an uneasy alliance that day and even though I was in the room I was not asked for input. Every time I opened my mouth to say something he would turn to me and give me that look. So I sat there and watched the two of them plan. She wouldn't go to everything, only the big things. Liam agreed to letting Carmen and I dance together and after some debate it was decided that she could hold my arm but we were not allowed to hold hands or kiss at all, not even on the cheek. It was ridiculous how the two of them decided my life without any feedback from me but if it kept the peace I would make due. After a year she would start doing less so it would appear that I was single again. In this way she could set up some contacts for her interior design business that she was starting and then I could ease her out with little to no fanfare. So far that seems to be working.

Liam and I are currently on our way to Lake Conroe which is less than an hour away. I requested to use the boat that is reserved for partners so that Liam and I can watch the fireworks on the lake. The added bonus being that we can be alone, free to enjoy ourselves openly without worrying about prying eyes.

"We're here," I say taking his hand and squeezing it.

He smiles as we exit the vehicle and head over to the dock to check out the boat.

"This is nice and you're sure you can drive this?" he asks looking at the boat and I laugh.

"Baby, I would never do anything to harm us. I took lessons when I got hired at the firm."

He smiles, "Ahh, yes, planning for when you made partner."

I grin, "Damn right. Wait here; let me get things set up."

I drive the boat out to an area on the lake that is more secluded. We spend the entire day swimming and lounging and making out and, well, we also had sex once. It's starting to cool down so we are under a blanket on one of the lounge chairs. I am on his lap, my knees resting on the seat of the chair as I kiss and rub against him. His hands move to my shorts, slipping underneath the bottoms so he can squeeze my ass. He then abruptly moves one of his hands and brings his fingers to my mouth. I don't hesitate as I suck them in. He removes his fingers quickly and latches his mouth to mine again as he slowing slips his fingers over my entrance. He plays with them there for a moment before he starts moving his finger inside me. I moan against his mouth and he inserts a second finger and then finally a third. He's been doing this a lot lately. I think he is trying to prep me or something but I don't mind as I think I am ready for him. Hell, we have been together for four months so I think it's about time. He starts moving his fingers in and out of me, stretching me deliciously.

"I want you to fuck me," I mutter against his lips.

His fingers stop moving as he pulls back from our kiss, "Are you serious?"

I smile and nod before kissing him again. He deepens it immediately as he pushes my shorts off. He then slips his three fingers back inside of me, twisting them around. I reach down and stroke his cock through his shorts before pulling him out. As my hand wraps around him I feel a sense of panic as I imagine him inside me.

"I'm not going to lie, baby, this is probably going to hurt but that's mostly because you won't know what to expect. I'll be as gentle as I can and it will get easier the more we do it," he says pulling his fingers out and grabbing the lube underneath the chair.

We have found that it is easier if we carry lube with us no matter what because in reality I don't get to see him all the time so when I do I tend to be very horny. I want him every minute that we're together. He squeezes the lube on himself and my heart starts pounding in my chest. His hand rests over my heart and I know he can feel its erratic beat.

"Baby, you need to calm down," he says with a look of concern and then of determination, "You know what, it's okay, let's wait."

I shake my head, "No, I'm sorry. Liam, I want you to. I'm ready."

I lean down to kiss him and guide him to my entrance. He pushes his tip inside of me and it's not so bad, it feels a little different but it's okay. His hands move to my hips and he pushes in a little bit further. Oh fuck! My muscles tighten up and I break from our kiss, panting with my heart racing uncontrollably.

"El, baby, honey, you need to relax," he says breathlessly.

I nod and try to control my breathing. His hands grip my hips a little tighter and I can see the muscles in his arms twitch from holding me in this position, his cock halfway inside. My eyes shift to look at him and notice that he is watching me carefully. His eyes are dark but caring. He is breathing hard as well. I slowly nod and he lowers me onto him more.

"FUCCCKKK!" I grit through clenched teeth.

He pushes a little bit more and he is now fully sheathed inside of me. The pain feels unbearable and my muscles start contracting again trying to adjust to him. I know I need to relax but my heart feels like it is going to pound out of my chest and my breathing is haggard and uneven. What the fuck was I thinking?

"Oh God!" I scream out with tears in my eyes, "Liam, fuck, I…I…"

"Calm down, baby," he says with a strained expression on his face.

"I'm sorry," I mumble, trying to control myself. He is perfectly still.

"Baby, I don't want to hurt you," he grabs my face with his hands, "but if you don't relax I will, please El, take a deep breath for me."

I nod as he kisses me softly. I breathe in deeply as he repositions himself so that he is sitting straight up, holding me in place. He reaches his hands back and fixes the back of the chair so it is up as well. He then reaches down and takes one of my legs, planting my foot on the deck and then does the same with the other one. His hands move up and down my back soothingly. He then brings them over my shoulders and down my arms before gently caressing my stomach and chest, allowing his thumbs to circle my nipples. He does this a few more times before kissing me again. I moan as my hands go into his hair, gripping tightly. His hands move back to my hips as he starts moving me up and down and, oddly enough, now that I'm relaxed it doesn't really hurt. It's slightly uncomfortable but not unbearable.

"You feel so good, baby," he says between kisses, "I love you so much, El."

I let go of his hair and hold on to the top of the chair for support as I start moving faster than what he is directing me. He lets out a gurgled moan as his hands move to stroke my cock and squeeze my balls. He is panting hard now so I increase my pace. He moves his lips closer to me and I meet him the rest of the way as we breathe heavily into each other's mouths, kissing noisily. We are both moaning loudly and damn this is feeling really good. He stops stroking me and moves his hands to my ass, squeezing my cheeks. I break from our kiss so I can look at him because I love watching him come undone. His forehead is scrunched together and his brow is furrowed so I can tell he is close.

"El, yesssss, baby, yessss," he grunts one last time and then I feel him coming inside of me.

It's the strangest sensation but I find myself moaning as I continue moving around his leaking cock until I feel him deflate inside of me. I can't help but smile. He has this satisfied look on his face as his head rests against the back of the chair. I fucking did that. That look is because of me.

"El, that was perfect," he finally says, cupping my cheek, "Are you okay?"

I nod and kiss him, "I'm perfect."

He chuckles at my use of the same word as his. We hear the first shot in the sky and I glance over my shoulder just as the first wave of fireworks light up the Texas sky.

"Turn around, baby," he says and I start to get up, "Un uh, I want to stay inside you. Here let me help you," he says, holding my hips.

He turns me and I lean back against him. His hands start moving along my chest until he is stroking me again. The fireworks are going off in the sky but I'm not paying attention at all. I'm only focused on the feel of his hands on me.

"Mmm, I liked that one," his voice deep as he kisses my temple. "Did you like that one too?" he asks running his tongue along my jaw.

Is he really asking me about the fireworks, "ummm, I wasn't paying attention."

"Shame on you, El, you really should enjoy," he squeezes my cock, "this."

I moan loudly as I turn my head to kiss him. He grins sexily as he kisses me lightly, "watch the show, baby."

I frown but turn back around. He starts stroking me hard. I am so close and he knows it but he keeps stopping me before I actually come. He has me panting and moaning and writhing all over him. He increases his pace when he hears several shots going up in the sky indicating that it is the finale. His chin is now resting on my shoulder watching what he's doing and as the night sky lights up, he brings both hands to my cock, one working the base while the other one manipulates my head.

"Come on, baby, I want to see you come. You're so fucking hot right now with my cock inside you, my hands wrapped around that fucking perfect dick of yours and the fireworks in the sky," he licks along my shoulder blade as he increases his ministrations. "Come on El, fuck, let me see it," he hisses and I gasp as I start coming as more fireworks light up the night.

"Perfect," he whispers as he turns my head so he can kiss me.

* * *

**A/N… Well, well, well, hmmm, there was a lot going on in this one aside from El losing his B-hymen (Love ya LayAtHomeMom)… So what are your thoughts about Carmen? And, well, doing the deed under a huge fireworks display sounds pretty freaking awesome to me…LOL…Alright folks, I posted some pictures on the blog so go check it out, lawofnumbers-lovinrob dot blogspot dot com**


	13. Chapter 13

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**El done did the deed! We are going to once again jump ahead a few months.**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**September 1982**

Liam is sleeping peacefully in the seat next to me while I review my latest case. My ear phones are on as I listen to the transcript of my dictation and take further notes in the margin of my files. Liam was a little upset that I brought work with me but I assured him I would only do it on the plane. Hence, he's sleeping right now instead of us talking. I feel a gentle tap on my shoulder and remove my earphones.

"Can I refresh your beverage, sir?" the flight attendant asks with a smile.

"Yes, please," I return her smile.

She tops off my wine and wanders off. Liam rolls over so that he is now facing me. He's been sleeping for a couple of hours already. Without thinking I trace my fingertip along his hair line, wrapping a curl around my finger. I grin as a small smile spreads across his face. My thumb finds its way to his mouth and cascades across his lips tenderly. He lets out a soft, almost inaudible moan before his hand reaches out to me. I smile before I move out of his reach which causes his eyes to flutter open. He looks around confused, blinking several times before his eyes focus. He offers a small smile to the couple across the aisle watching us and then turns to me, sitting up.

"Are we almost there?" he yawns.

"Not yet, less than an hour I presume," I utter before turning back to my brief.

He stretches, and his t-shirt moves up, revealing just a portion of his taut stomach. My eyes zero in on it and I have to use all the self-control I possess not to reach out and run my fingers in the hair just below his navel. He chuckles and when I look at him he mouths the word, _naughty_, to me. I shrug, still smiling as I turn back to my papers.

"Are you almost done?" he asks.

"Not quite."

He scratches along his neck and then his mouth quirks to the side, his typical flustered expression, "maybe we should have postponed this trip," he says while reaching for one of the magazines he brought with him.

I set my brief down and eye him, "I had no control over this case landing on my lap this morning but I promised you we would do this. I have another hour to work on it and I swear you won't see it again until the flight home," I say with conviction.

"El, I'm not upset," he turns to me, a look of concern on his face, "but this is a big case for you and I don't want us going away to be the reason you aren't prepared."

"I'll be fine," I say with a sigh.

I want desperately to lean over and kiss him but instead I put my head phones back on, quickly jotting more notes down. He is right though. This is an important case for me and the firm. It will be my first murder trial and a lot is riding on it. Unfortunately the more that I decipher the case the more I realize how much I need to do before my meeting on Tuesday. I glance at him and he is flipping pages in his magazine.

Fifty minutes later we land at San Francisco International Airport and thirty minutes after that we are in a car headed to Napa Valley. This is our first trip together, the first of many, if I have my way. He has never been to California and although there are many things I want to show him I thought it fitting, since we both enjoy wine so much, that we go to Napa together. I have never been here either and the fact that we are coming during the harvest is an added bonus.

"How far is it?" he asks as we head out of the rental car lot.

"A little over an hour," I reply maneuvering around slower vehicles, "Find a radio station, babe."

He fiddles with the stereo and finds a nice jazz station as we talk about what we will do. I have already reserved a tour of the Beaulieu Vineyard but the rest is up to us. I have a tendency to over plan things but I am trying to rein that in a little as Liam is much more laid back, unless we are talking about cleanliness because damn, the man cannot handle dust or dirty dishes or anything. I still remember one weekend him coming over and I hadn't cleaned the dishes in the sink. He was distracted and then said we couldn't do anything until he could straighten out the kitchen. I thought it was funny until he actually did go clean up the kitchen before we made out. Now, I make sure my maid service comes the day before I know he is visiting me. Why waste precious time together cleaning?

"We're here," I say smiling at his expression.

The sun is setting over the horizon and the hotel is lit up magnificently. I purposefully didn't tell him where we were staying because I was afraid he would fight me on the cost and based on the look on his face I know I wasn't far from that assessment. The valet approaches us and the bell hop takes our bags as I go check us in. The Audere du Soleil opened last year to rave reviews and I was able to book us one of their Hillside Suites. I not only wanted us to have privacy but I also know for a fact that people in the suites are treated better than the average patron. No one questions us or even looks our way as we are escorted to our suite by the bell hop. I tip him very well and he smiles and bows his head.

"Thank you, sir. If I can get either of you gentleman anything please let me know. My name is Miguel and I will be here all weekend."

I glance at Liam who is gently running his fingers along the couch. I smile slightly and then turn back to Miguel who is looking between the two of us and something tells me he knows, but something also tells me he doesn't care. He continues to grin and then his eyes meet mine. He looks like he wants to say something but he doesn't. Soon Liam is at my side and smiles at the young man before he places his hand on my lower back.

"Are you from here, Miguel?" Liam asks thoughtfully.

He shakes his head, "No, I was working in San Francisco until a year ago and when this spa opened I came here. I think you will both enjoy it very much. People are," he pauses, "open."

Liam nods, "Thank you, Miguel."

"You're welcome, sirs," he smiles again before turning and leaving.

Once the door shuts, Liam runs his fingers along my face, "This is way too much."

"No it's not," I kiss him softly; "I make more money than I know what to do with. I don't spend it on anything," I kiss him again; "I want to spend it on you, don't fight me on this."

He sighs and runs his hand through my hair, pulling my mouth closer to him. His kiss is hot and passionate, as he grinds against me. Suddenly both hands are on my ass as he moves me to the bed, both of us falling onto it. He undoes my slacks with ease as I kick my shoes off before pushing my slacks all the way off. I lean up and immediately remove my shirt while he goes to his bag. He tosses his shirt off unceremoniously and removes his jeans before grabbing the lube. He starts walking to me, a very determined look on his face as he drops the lube on the bed and crawls on top of me, kissing me, intensely.

"I wanna fuck you, baby," he purrs.

He starts running his nose along mine while his mouth gently grazes my skin and the next thing I feel is his lubed fingers inside me. He starts moving them around and I am already moaning loudly. His mouth hovers over mine before he tugs on my lip with his teeth as I pant and buck my hips, rubbing my cock against his stomach.

"Yes, fuck me," I mutter.

He removes his fingers and slathers lube over his cock, all the while pulling on my lip as I breathe heavily into his mouth. He slowly guides into me and then grips my cock, stroking it as he runs his tongue along my now swollen lips. He starts pumping into me slowly, pulling almost all the way out before he glides back inside and filling me completely.

"After I come," he kisses me again, "I want you to fuck me."

I moan and grip his hair tightly, tight enough that I know it must hurt, but, that's what he likes. He starts pumping into me fast, grunting and groaning wildly. Over the past few months our love making has gotten a little kinkier. I have let him fuck me several times but if we are talking percentages here I am still the one who's on 'top' more. He knows I prefer it so usually when he asks to fuck me, I let him and generally speaking he is usually pretty wild. Of course normally when he is fucking me, he wants to watch me jack off while he's doing it so this is definitely different. I'm actually not sure what I should do with my hands aside from pulling his hair out which I swear I'm going to do, one of these days.

"Fuck, El, put your fingers in me," he hears my silent inquiry.

I bring my fingers to his mouth and he starts sucking on them vigorously, so much so that my cock starts bouncing, angry that my fingers are getting that kind of attention. He is whipping his tongue around my fingers and scrapping them with his teeth while thrusting into me heatedly. I have to remove my fingers out of fear that I'm actually going to come before I get to fuck him. I plunge my fingers inside his hole and earn a hearty moan along with a string of explicatives, some of which I don't even know, so they must be some kind of Irish thing. In all honesty, I love getting him so riled up that he can't stop cursing. It's such a complete opposite to his general demeanor.

"FUCKKKKKKKK," he grunts as he pushes inside me again and I feel him release.

I let him pump into me as I remove my fingers and immediately start applying lube to my cock. He pulls out and drops next to me on the bed but I waste no time whatsoever. I flip him over so that he's on his stomach and spread his cheeks before entering him quickly. I lay down on top of him, swiveling my hips as my mouth latches onto his shoulder blade. I suck on his flesh and then move to another spot as my hips move faster and faster against him. I don't know what it is but I love marking him. I never do it in a place anyone would see though. But if he ever took his shirt off people would probably be shocked. I release my mouth when I feel my orgasm on the cusp.

"Dios, me encanta follar te," I mutter as I thrust even harder.

He moans loudly into the comforter and grips it tightly. He loves when I start talking Spanish to him so I continue. I grunt how much I like being inside him and how I want to fuck him all the time and of course a whole lot of curse words. He doesn't know what I am saying but it doesn't matter to him because he just likes when I do it. It's his major turn on. I grunt and thrust once more before spilling inside him. I continue to pump my hips until I can't move anymore and flop on the bed beside him. He doesn't move but his head turns in my direction.

"I love you," he mutters with this glazed look in his eyes.

"Yo también te quiero," I whisper back, as I throw my leg over him and get as close as I possibly can, he gives me a lazy smile as his eyes flutter closed and soon we are both fast asleep.

~LoN~

The next morning we decide on breakfast in the room before we are to head out to the winery. We were both starving considering we didn't eat dinner the night before. So after breakfast and showers and sex and then showers again we leave our suite. Although we aren't holding hands our mere proximity to one another indicates to anyone who cared to look further that we are indeed a couple. While we wait for the valet to bring our car around we spot Miguel approaching us.

"Where are you off too today, sirs?" Miguel asks politely.

"We will be touring the Beaulieu Vineyard," I say with a smile.

"Wonderful. That is a beautiful vineyard. It's a good time to go as it's the harvest."

"We are looking forward to it," I reply.

"Miguel do you have any suggestions for dinner?" Liam interjects.

"Well, our restaurant is very exquisite but if you are looking for someplace a little more intimate you should try Alex Italian Restaurant. The food is exceptional, all homemade. I could make a reservation if you'd like?"

Liam and I look at each other and shrug. I reach in my pocket and pull out my billfold, handing him some cash as well as one of my business cards.

"That would be wonderful, thank you," I say with a smile, "We will call the hotel from the winery to find out the time you have arranged."

He nods as he looks down at the card and his eyes widen when he sees Montgomery, Wilson, Smith, and Whitlock, attorneys at law and then my full name and contact information. Just then the valet walks in and directs us to our vehicle. We step outside and I open the door for Liam and then get behind the wheel. As I start to pull away Liam chuckles.

"What?" I ask confused.

"I think you have a fan," he says with a smile, tilting his head back towards the hotel.

I grin, "I think he is excited to see a Mexican staying in a suite," I glance at him, "plus, I think he liked seeing _us_."

Liam nods, "He's gay. You know that right."

I laugh, "I suspected he was." I reach for Liam's hand and bring it to my mouth, kissing his palm. "I love you."

"I love you too."

The drive to the vineyard does not take long at all as it is just down the hill from where we are staying. Liam points out the restaurant that Miguel suggested and it does indeed look quaint and intimate. We make the turn on St. Helena Hwy and notice the sign directing us to the vineyard. We park and exit the vehicle, full of excitement.

"Have you been on one of these before?" Liam asks as we walk towards the building.

I shake my head and grin at him, "Another first."

He smiles while running his hand down my back before opening the door, guiding me inside. As we look inside the vast room we are greeted by an over eager young couple.

"Are you here for the tour," The woman says enthusiastically.

We turn in their direction and nod, "You have to check in over there," the woman points towards a desk where another young woman is talking to someone else.

The two of them are practically bouncing in place, looking between the two of us.

"I'll go check us in," I say and then smile when Liam gives me a look that says, _don't leave me with these two_.

"Where are you from?" The man asks.

"Texas," I hear Liam say as I'm walking away.

By the time I return Liam looks dizzy trying to keep up with the many questions that both the young man and woman keep shooting his way. Okay, maybe I shouldn't have left him but they seemed harmless enough. I touch his lower back slightly and he turns to me, his eyes pleading.

"They should be starting soon," I say and the woman squeals, I turn to her and smile, "We hope you two enjoy the tour," I say before turning back to Liam, "I'd like your feedback on something," I say directing him away from the couple.

"I can't believe you left me with those two," he says laughing.

"Sorry, babe, I did rescue you though," I grin and nudge him.

"My hero," he says playfully as he nudges me back.

We spend several hours there, learning all about the winery, its history, their vintages and special reserves. We are even allowed to tour the grounds which are simply breathtaking, rows and rows of vines, just ready to be harvested. We then do a tasting which Liam and I thoroughly enjoy. We actually are having our own little competition on who can pick out the different bouquets of each wine we taste. He's good, much better on the red than I am but I am cleaning up on the whites. We are lost in our own world until we hear clapping and realize everyone is watching us. Our antics actually draw the attention of the owner who spends an hour visiting with us, offering us some of his private reserve which is brilliant. Much to Liam's surprise I then buy two cases of their signature Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

"El, that's $3800 dollars, what are we going to do with all that wine?" Liam whispers.

"We'll give some away, maybe for Christmas and we'll keep some at your place, some at mine. I thought you liked it," I ask confused, "Didn't you just rave about it being the best you've tasted in a long time?"

"Jesus, El, you bought two cases of the Cabernet because I liked it?"

I smile, "Of course," I say, grabbing his hand, not caring if anyone notices.

"Would you like to take them with you or would you prefer to have them shipped, Mr. Whitlock?" the clerk asks drawing my eyes away from Liam.

"I want them shipped. One case will be go to Houston, the other to San Antonio," I squeeze his hand and he is grinning, shaking his head slightly as he looks at the ground. I smile, he better get used to me spending money on him.

.

.

.

The light cadence of his snoring wakes me. No, that's not true; the looming meeting on Tuesday wakes me. Technically I should have stayed home. There is so much I need to do before my meeting but I couldn't cancel. This weekend is all Liam has talked about for weeks. I couldn't disappoint him. I carefully slide out of the bed and slip on my boxers before tip toeing into the living room. Grabbing my satchel, I spread out my files on the coffee table, pulling out my mini tape recorder, and plugging in the headphones. I take a furtive glance towards the bed and see that he is still blissfully sleeping before I hit the play button and get to work.

"El, baby, come back to bed," I hear Liam say as his hand, strokes my hair.

"What time is it?" I ask as my eyes flutter open.

"It's four in the morning baby. How long have you been up?" he asks thoughtfully.

I wash my hand over my eyes, trying to remember when I started, hell; I don't even remember when I fell asleep.

"I don't know, several hours. I'm sorry baby. I know I said I wouldn't…" I stop when he places a finger over my lips.

"We don't get to spend a lot of time together," he says and I start to say something but he shakes his head and continues, "and when we are together you give me 100% of your time but," he turns slightly and waves his hand at all my papers, "this is important too. I know that it was handed to you unexpectedly and I also know how much pride you take in your work. I really do understand so you don't need to sneak in the middle of the night to do it. We can hang out in the suite tomorrow so you can work on it. I will relax here; maybe take a dip in the pool or go for a run."

"I don't want to ruin our trip with work," I say flustered, "how about I just spend the first half of the day on this and then we can go sight-seeing?"

"That sounds like a plan," he replies with a bright smile.

I lean forward and kiss him softly, "Let's go to bed."

He takes my hand and leads me to the bed and I snuggle in next to him. He kisses me lovingly, tenderly before watching me, he has a tentative look on his face and I am not sure what that's about. His fingers go through my hair and his tongue darts over his lips.

"You know how you mentioned giving away some of the Cabernet for Christmas?" he asks uncertainly.

"Yes," I reply curiously.

"I go to Ireland every year for the holidays and visit my family," he runs his fingers down my arm and wraps them around my waist, pulling me closer, "will you come with me this year. Do you think you can take the time off?"

"You want me to go to Ireland with you?" I ask stunned.

"I want you to meet my family," he says, carefully.

"I'd like to meet them and I'm pretty sure I can get it off," I say watching his entire face light up.

"Really," he says, kissing me when I nod.

* * *

**A/N… Ahhh, so our boys had a good time in Napa. In ADH I established the boys love for Napa and all things wine related so I thought I would throw in how that started **** I did tweak a couple of things related to the spa, ****The Audere du Soleil**** actually opened about six years after these two visited but, ya know, creative license and all, hehehe… there are pictures on the blog (lawofnumbers-lovinrob dot blogspot dot com) of the spa and the winery they went to.**

**Spanish Translation:**

**Dios, me encanta follar te – God, I love to fuck you**

**Yo también te quiero – I love you too**


	14. Chapter 14

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Special thanks to sacritacris for helping with my Spanish translation **

**What a lovely time they had! We are going to once again jump ahead a few months.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Thanksgiving, 1982**

I am watching Liam move about the kitchen, wrapping his pies, which he made from scratch. He then reaches for one of the bottles of Cabernet we bought in Napa and now I need to stop him.

"Baby, my family doesn't drink wine unless it comes out of a chalice that Father Martine is holding during the_Eucharist._ We are not bringing that." I say standing up.

He narrows his eyes and places his hands on his hips. Damn, he looks so sexy right now. Maybe we should cancel; I'd rather spend the day making love anyway. Besides, I don't have a great feeling about going today. Three weeks ago I received a call from mom. It had been the first time we had spoken since I told her I was gay seven months ago. Needless to say it came as quite a shock.

"_Mijo?" she says when I answer._

_My heart drops as I respond, "Madre."_

"_I am not going to say I am happy about your, choices, but I love you son and I want to see you."_

"_I love you, too. I know if you met him you would think different."_

_She is quite for a moment, "Come and spend Thanksgiving here, bring him," she stutters out._

"_Really?" I ask looking up at Liam who is watching me closely, "You want me to bring Liam to Thanksgiving?" he smiles and nods but I am not too sure of this, "Why can't it be a time where it can be just us without everyone around?" I ask concerned I am getting set up for an ambush._

"_There is never a just 'us' in our family. Whenever you bring him everyone will be here."_

"_Okay, we'll be there." I say hanging up._

"If we don't open it, then we don't but I am not turning up to meet your family empty handed," he says firmly, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I sigh, "But you already baked and picked out flowers, that's more than enough." I say walking up to him. I run my hand down his chest and pull him closer to me, kissing him soundly.

"Let's go El. I don't want to be late. That will set a bad impression," he says determinedly as he steps away from me. I frown, having been thwarted.

"Stop pouting, I'll make it up to you tonight," he says slapping my ass and winking at me.

He steps to the refrigerator where he pulls out a beautiful bouquet of roses and carnations. He then reaches for a lead crystal vase on the counter and prepares it with water and something else before setting the flowers inside it. I lean against the counter and watch. He is moving around with purpose as he grabs the wine crate and places the flowers, the Cabernet and the three pies he baked inside along with several towels to secure them. They all fit snugly.

"What?" he asks.

"Nothing, babe, let's go." I say as I pick up our duffle bag.

I have Thursday and Friday off for the holiday so I drove up last night so we wouldn't have far to go this morning. We will stay in Corpus Christi until Saturday evening and then drive back to San Antonio that night. Liam wants me to show him where I grew up. I tried to tell him we wouldn't need two days for that but he just gave me that arched brow look that told me to can it. So I will show him around my old stomping grounds which will take an hour or so. I smile at the thought.

The drive is quite for us. I am lost in thought, worried about what might happen and how he will be received. I am also worried about Bobby and whether he will be there and how he will respond to Liam. I hate that we aren't talking but I can't fix that. We pull into Corpus Christi ninety minutes later and the streets are already lined with cars so I have to park further down, in front of the park we always played ball at.

"Do you know them?" Liam asks as I stare at the men playing football.

I nod, "most are my cousins, some neighborhood people, as well," I squeeze his hand and smile, "come on, let's go."

The minute I step out of the car, the playing stops. I walk around to meet Liam who has just stepped out as well. I am anxious and on edge as I see Bobby walking towards us.

"I can't believe you actually showed up. I thought you would find an out," Bobby says but he isn't looking at me, he is looking at Liam, eyeing him up and down.

"Mom asked us to come," I say with a hint of anger which Bobby picks up on. He turns his attention back to me. We are staring at each other not saying a word.

"You guys want to play? We need a couple more people," some kid I don't know asks.

"Eleazar don't play no more, do you?" Bobby says crossing his arms while I narrow my eyes.

"Yeah, sure," I hear Liam say next to me and both Bobby and I break our standoff and turn to him.

He throws his jacket off and unbuttons his shirt, tossing it on his seat before he starts walking over there in his jeans and his sexy 'A' style undershirt that shows off his shoulder muscles deliciously. My God, he looks good. I shake my head and quickly remove my shirt as well.

"You play football before?" one of the cousins asks.

Liam nods, "I played rugby back home and football when I lived in Dallas."

My cousins look at each other and nod, "What position?"

"Linebacker mostly," Liam says.

"We want him," Johnny yells to me and Bobby.

"I guess that makes you with me," Bobby says eyeing me.

"I guess so," I say as we start to walk over to the line of scrimmage.

I am not sure about this whole thing as my cousins tend to play dirty. I actually wasn't aware that Liam had played American football before, he never mentioned it but he definitely has the physique for it. The first several plays we move the ball but not as much as Bobby would like. Bobby winks at me and tells us he is going to throw to see if I still got it. I don't understand him. He must think because I'm gay that means I have lost all ability to play sports?

"Shit! Their throwing to Eleazar," I hear as I run down the sideline.

I've always been the fastest of my cousins which is why I was always made the wide receiver. There is no one nearby so I know I am going down for a touchdown. Except, just as I catch it I am thrown to the ground. Liam is on top of me and we are sliding out of bounds. I hear all my cousins, hollering and acting stupid and then Liam winks at me.

"Sorry, baby," he says as he helps me up and then turns abruptly and jogs over to his team where they are laughing and slapping him on the back.

As I start walking back to the line, one of my cousin's on his team hollers at me, "What happened, Eleazar?"

"He got schooled that's what happened," another one says.

"I caught the damn ball didn't I?" I reply heatedly.

"You got taken down!" Another laughs.

"Ain't got the wheels no more, Eleazar," they continue to tease.

"Hey, he can still beat your ass any day!" Bobby yells, putting his arm around my shoulders and walking me into the huddle, "Alright Eleazar, now that we know what your man can do, this is my plan," he says squeezing my shoulder.

I grin because in that one sentence he has accepted me and I have my cousin back. We play for another thirty minutes before we hear one of my Tia's calling for us, like she used to when we were kids. Liam walks back to the car and removes his sweaty undershirt, tossing it in the backseat. Oh God! His back is glistening, rippling with his movements and my breath hitches. He quickly pulls on another undershirt and grabs his button down from the front seat, slipping it on casually.

"I like him," Bobby says drawing my attention away from Liam.

"He's great!" I say earnestly.

"I'm sorry for what I said the last time we talked," Bobby says softly as we start to make our way to the car.

I take a breath and smile at him, "it's okay," I tap his shoulder and look back at Liam, "he thinks it will be okay but I don't think my mom is ready."

"Well, I got your back this time, alright," he says, reaching his hand up which I grip tightly, "I won't let you down again," he says looking me deeply in the eyes.

I nod and pull him into a hug.

"El, can you help?" Liam says as he removes the food and flowers.

"Yeah, of course," I step away from Bobby and walk up to him. I quickly throw my shirt on and grab the pies and wine.

Bobby smiles at the flower arrangement, "Damn, you're gonna make us all look like shit," he says with a laugh.

Liam smirks at him, "sorry man, need to make a good first impression."

"Well then, you better button up your shirt more to cover that hickey, my Tia won't approve of that," he laughs and raises his eyebrows, "because you know Eleazar here," he wraps his arm over my shoulder, "is a saint and would never dream of doing anything so… dirty," he says with a wag of his brows.

I guffaw and push him away, "Fuck you."

"Ah shit, hold on, you guys," Liam stops and quickly adjusts his shirt, giving me 'the' look.

"Sorry," I grin at him, "I didn't notice, Bobby here is the hickey detector," I say with a laugh.

Bobby is still chuckling as he moves ahead of us, not bothering to knock, he walks right in, "Guess who I found?" he announces.

Everyone stops talking as Liam and I enter the house. It's as if you can hear a pin drop when my mom comes out from the kitchen. She has tears in her eyes as she approaches me, hugging me tightly.

"Mijo, te he extrañado mucho," she says softly.

"Te he extrañado mucho madre. Te Amo," I whisper back before kissing her cheek. "Mom, this is Liam," I turn to him as does she.

"It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am," Liam states politely and then hands her the vase.

There is a lot of oohing and ahhing over the flowers in the background. It's not often my mom gets flowers as I rarely bring them. She looks down and smells the sweet fragrance before she smiles at him.

"Thank you, it's nice to meet you as well." She turns back to me and notices the bag and bottle of wine at my feet, "What do you have there, Mijo?"

"Liam made a couple of pies for today and we brought a bottle of wine to toast with," I say quickly.

"You can cook?" my mom asks Liam.

"Yes, ma'am, I made you a couple of pies that my mother always made on special occasions, a Michaelmas Pie, an Irish Rhubarb and Raspberry Pie and an Irish Apple Tart. I hope that you enjoy them," he says respectfully.

She smiles, "I am sure we will like them."

Things are a little uneasy for a short while as no one knows what to do but then things shift as my mother goes with the women and Liam and I visit with the men in the family. My uncles are immediately impressed by Liam's knowledge of soccer and don't seem uncomfortable at all. Liam and I keep our distance to a certain extent. I would love to hold him like the other couples in the family do but I'm not sure how it will go over and I don't want to push it. Liam doesn't seem to mind though.

By the time Mom calls for us to eat I am thinking I worried about nothing. Everyone seems to love Liam. How could they not? He is kind and caring, attentive, and there is not an ounce of disrespect in his entire being. My cousins continue to laugh and joke about how Liam is the only one to ever tackle me as well as adding every unflattering story about me that they can possibly think of. As the night progresses, people filter out and it is just me and Liam, Bobby, a couple of my aunts and uncles and mom.

"Your family is catholic correct?" Mom asks, out of the blue.

Liam turns to her and nods, "Yes, most of Ireland is. My family is very active in the church."

"So your parents weren't ashamed having a son who's gay?" she asks and the entire room becomes dead silent.

"Mom, what…" I start to say when Liam sets his hand on mine and shakes his head.

"I suppose they were at first but after a while they realized that I was the same boy I was before they found out," he says to her.

"But, didn't they try to save you from your sinful ways? Didn't they care about your soul?" she asks, as serious as can be.

He gives her a forced smile, "yes, they did but in the end they accepted me for who I was. I can't change who I am and they are okay with that."

"I see," she starts to say something else but Liam stands up.

"Excuse me," he says as he walks towards the bathroom down the hall.

I turn and glare at her, "How could you talk to him like that?" I seethe out.

"I'm sorry, Mijo, but this is wrong and I can't with a good conscience approve or give my blessing. It's too late for him but it isn't for you, you can ignore this, perversity, be who you were before," she pleads, her eyes desperate.

"I really thought if you met him you would understand, you would see how wonderful he is and how much I love him but you'll never see that, will you?" I say standing.

"Mijo," she starts but I raise my hand to silence her.

I start walking towards the bathroom and stop, seeing him with his back against the wall, tears streaking his face. He could hear everything she had said. My eyes water as my hands rest on either side of his head. I kiss him softly on the forehead, over his closed eyelids, and finally his mouth.

"Let's get out of here," I whisper against his lips.

He nods and wipes under his eyes. I take his hand firmly in mine as we walk out from the hallway and through the living room. Bobby is pissed and actually yelling at my mom which causes my Tia to yell at him. Everyone is now standing arguing with each other in Spanish but they all stop when they see us walk through. When I open the door I turn to face my mother again.

"I love you mom but I can't be in your life if you are not willing to accept my choices. I love Liam and if that makes me damned to hell well then so be it." I look down for a moment and when I look back up everyone can see the anger on my face, "this is who I am. I'm sorry if you're ashamed of that but," I take a deep breath, "I'm not!"

I turn to Liam wrapping my arm around his waist, before walking outside. "Are you okay, baby?" I ask concerned.

He nods but doesn't say anything. I kiss his temple and pull him closer to me as we start walking down the street. I can't believe she did that. I thought everything was going so well.

"Te amo más que nada," I say and he turns to me, his eyes wet with unshed tears.

"Eleazar, Liam, wait up," we hear Bobby yell as he comes up behind us. We turn to him and he bends, resting his hands on his knees, out of breath.

"Bobby, you really need to quit smoking," I say, shaking my head.

He laughs and looks up at me, "Fuck you, Eleazar," I roll my eyes as he stands straight, "I'm sorry about what happened back there," he says to Liam and then turns to me, "Your mom is wrong cuz, please don't stay away because of it," his eyes are pleading.

"I don't know Bobby. I think I need to give her time," I say, he sighs and nods his head. I let go of Liam so I can give him a hug. He then turns to Liam.

"You take care of my cousin," he says before giving him a hug, "Ignore what my Tia said, you hear me, she doesn't speak for all of us!"

Liam nods, "Thanks, Bobby."

"I'll let you guys head out but hey come to my place tomorrow, okay?"

Liam and I look at each other, he nods slightly and I turn to Bobby, "Yeah, you bet."

He smiles and turns to head back to the house while Liam and I continue walking to the car. The minute we get there I push his back against the door, my mouth is on his moments later, kissing him as his hands entwine in my hair. I don't care what mom says, we are meant to be together if she can't accept him, she can't accept me.

* * *

**A/N… Ahhh, poor El, he gained his cousin back but his mom, still not so supportive. Let's hope that Eleazar's reception in Ireland will be much better.**

**Spanish Translation:  
****Mijo, te he extrañado mucho ****– Son, I've missed you, a lot  
****Te he extrañado mucho madre. Te Amo****– I missed you too mother. I love you  
****Te amo más que nada – I love you more than anything**


	15. Chapter 15

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

******Special thanks to sacritacris for helping with my Spanish translation**

**Hmmm, Thanksgiving didn't go quite as planned. Let's see how things go in Ireland.**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**December 1982**

I arrive in Dublin close to noon. I wasn't able to take two weeks off like Liam so I am arriving on Thursday the 23rd of December. I left right after work on Wednesday evening and have spent the last ten hours on a plane. Although I only fly first class I am still stiff and sore. There is no way to avoid that. I stretch and gather my things, making a bee line to the restroom so that I can brush my teeth and splash water on my face before I see him. Making my way through customs my eyes are searching and off to the left I find him trying to get closer to the gate, he is smiling perfectly as he mouths _I love you_. My heart is filled with love and desire and the minute I am through the gates my arms are around him. At that point I don't care what anyone thinks.

"I missed you," he whispers in my ear before pulling away from me.

"I missed you too," I smile, noticing a few people watching us.

"Come on, let's go to the hotel. We don't need to meet the family for several hours."

"How far is the hotel?" I ask anxiously, needing to kiss him desperately.

"Not far at all," he says, clearly picking up on my needs.

We are staying at the Regency Hotel in Dublin. It's a nice four star establishment but not near what I am used to when traveling. But this is close to his family and it is nice enough. When we finally get in the room all I can think about is getting my mouth on him. He must have the same thought because we are all tongues and teeth and moans the minute the door closes behind us.

"Get undressed, now," I direct as I immediately start removing my clothes.

He starts stripping straightaway and barely has time to grab the lube from the nightstand before I am on top of him, my cock rubbing against his. Our kiss is wild and passionate, loud yet sweet all the while my fingers move inside him, preparing him for my entrance. Normally I take my time but not at this moment, in this moment I need to be joined with him. Seeing each other only on the weekends is not cutting it anymore. I need him, every day, I need to wake up with him every morning, and I need to come home to him every evening. He starts rubbing lube on my cock when I suddenly pull away from him.

"What's the matter? Why are you stopping" he asks clearly confused.

"I want you to move in with me," I say quickly before my brain has a chance to think about it.

"You want me to move to Houston?" he clarifies.

I smile, "That _is_ where I live."

"Are you sure, El?"

"I hate not waking up with you every day. I want that, I want everything with you."

He nods and smiles as he rolls us so that I am on my back. He slowly comes down on me and my eyes flutter closed, taking in the sensation of his muscles contracting around me as my cock fills him. He picks up his pace and starts slamming down on me and I can't stop the profanity that escapes my mouth. His grunting is making me crazy and when I open my eyes I am spellbound. He is glistening with a light sheen of sweat, his abdomen is rippling beautifully while his cock swings, waiting for attention. I grab it and give it what it wants, a long hard stroke before I move a hand to fondle his balls and in doing so I spread my fingers around his opening, playing with the tender skin there while he continues to come down on me with intensity.

"El, fuccckkk," he mutters between clenched teeth.

Oh yeah, he likes that. I lick my lips as I dig a couple of my fingers inside him and stretch him further. His hands slap on my chest as he grunts wildly, his face straining exquisitely. My fingers slip deeper inside him, scraping against my cock that continues to move in and out at an ever increasing pace. My free hand latches onto his throbbing member squeezing as I move my hand quickly over him, faster and faster, while he starts cursing and moaning.

"Come for me baby, don't hold back," I say smoothly, watching his face contort sexily.

He starts making these short breathy noises and momentarily loses his rhythm but I don't care, I missed the look on his face right now. I increase my ministrations both on his cock and at his hole. He screams out and his whole body stiffens. My cock is gripped tightly as his muscles clamp down on me deliciously right when his come starts to spill all over my stomach.

"Bebe, te ves tan sexy encima de mi, coño," I mutter as I stroke him even harder.

He is practically in tears as he continues to come and when his body slouches slightly I roll him onto the bed, holding his legs up as I start to fuck him wildly. His mouth parts slightly as he bucks his hips, meeting me stroke for stroke, over and over, until I too am coming blissfully. I pump into him a few more times before finally dropping down beside him.

"Mi amor," I whisper reverently as he smiles that lazy, I just had great sex smile, of his.

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After our initial romp we both showered and cleaned up. I wanted him to take me to a florist so that I could pick up flowers for his mother so I was sort of rushing him along. He tried to say it wasn't necessary but I reminded him that I had said the same thing to him at Thanksgiving. He grinned and conceded, taking me to a nice place not far from the hotel. We drove the long way to his parents so he could point out the distillery three of his brother's work at and the textile factory two of his sisters work for, the restaurant his sister Siobhan is a waitress at and finally the bar his brother is a bartender for. He said the rest of his siblings lived elsewhere. Two were in London and his oldest sister lived in Scotland with her husband. As we pull into Drumcondra he begins telling me about where he lived until he was sixteen.

"It's weird how when you are growing up you don't realize how poor you were and then as an adult you look back at the neighborhood or where you lived and go damn, know what I mean?"

"I do and babe this is nice," I query because it doesn't seem so bad to me.

"Yeah, this block is pretty good and my parents were lucky to be able to get a council home."

"What's that?" I ask, curious.

"It's sort of like HUD in the states," I nod, understanding that completely, "the county owns them and you can rent them fairly cheaply and sometimes buy them. We had a small four bedroom. When Siobhan and I were born there were nine of us. She and I shared a room, hell, a bed until we were twelve."

"You slept in the same bed with your sister for that long," I say shocked.

He grins and shrugs, "we were twins and anytime they tried to separate us we would cry and drive everyone crazy. We couldn't sleep if we were apart so my parents let us stay together. I tell you though, the day my sister got her," he glances at me, "you know."

I roll my eyes, "her period."

He blushes slightly, "yeah, that, I swear we both cried and cried all day and night because we knew our parents wouldn't let us sleep together anymore." He shakes his head and smiles, "sometimes I would still sneak in her room and sleep on the floor next to her bed. I guess I needed to be near her."

"It must have been really hard to leave her when you moved to the states."

He nods, "it was but I wanted to go to school and if I stayed I would have had to work," when he notices my confused expression, "by 16 most kids are working so I found a way to continue my schooling. So that was another reason I got involved in the exchange program."

I grab his hand and squeeze it, "well I am glad you did," I smile.

"Me too," he brings my hand up and kisses it sweetly.

The neighborhood is very quaint; it doesn't look quite as bad as the poor areas that litter Texas and Corpus Christi in particular. We pull up to a white duplex at the end of the block. There are several cars parked around it and the neighboring vicinity. He turns to me and his smile is simply infectious as he leans over and kisses me. It isn't one of those sweet pecks either, nope; it's one of those kisses that make my cock stir and leave me dizzy and out of breath. My hand moves into his hair as we continue for several more minutes. When he finally pulls away from me, I am a breathless, panting, mess.

"Come on baby," he whispers against my mouth, "let me introduce you to my family."

I nod and watch him practically jump out of the car like a teenager instead of an adult. He opens the door for me and then wraps his arm around my waist before leading me to the backseat so I can grab the flowers while he grabs the bottle of Cabernet and the gift basket I sent him earlier this week. He had told me I didn't need to buy gifts for anyone because all his gifts would have both of our names on it but I wanted to do something special, at least for his mom.

"I hope they like that," I say motioning towards the basket.

"El, they're gonna love it!" he says with a smile as he opens the door.

"It's about time, we thought you two were going to make out all day," a large man says as he approaches us.

Liam smirks and then pushes him back laughing, "El, this is my brother Patrick and his wife Margaret."

"It's a pleasure," I say, shifting the flowers to one side so I can shake their hands.

"El, my brother Andrew and his wife Robyn," he introduces me to another large man and a petite woman, then shifts to someone else, "my brothers Sean and Ryan, and this is my sister Megan and her husband Danny, where's Erin and Siobhan?" I hear him ask over the gathering of people in the entryway.

"For Christ's sake, let the poor man come through the door," I hear someone say from the back of the crowd. I glance at Liam and he mouths, _my mother_.

By the time she pushes her way through I am greeted by a short robust woman with curly hair that falls past her shoulders. She is wearing an apron and as I look at the men in the room I am floored that she actually birthed them all. Aside from the wrinkles around her green eyes and the gray streaking her hair, she looks young and carefree but there is also authoritativeness about her as well. When she gets to me she smiles brightly and it's Liam's perfect smile. I reach my hand out to her and when she takes it I kiss her hand gently before offering her the flowers. She lets out a gasp.

"It's an honor to finally meet you ma'am," I say bowing slightly.

"Oh my," she replies speechless.

"Liam told me you liked roses," I say glancing over at him, he has his hand covering his mouth but I can still tell that he is smiling.

"Their lovely, thank you," She says gaining her composure, she then turns to her offspring who are staring at her wide eyed, "What?" she asks with a piercing glare.

They all start laughing and muttering _nothing_ as she locks her arm with me and leads me to the kitchen where there are a couple of people, one stirring a pot and another decorating a cake. There is a lot of food on the counter and I recognize the pies that Liam had made for my mother as well. I look over my shoulder for Liam and find him following close behind us. The girl in the picture at his house has her arms around his waist and he looks so happy.

"He's so handsome," I hear in the background and then a round of muffled giggles and uh huhs.

"Francis, come in here, meet El, er," she glances at me.

"Eleazar, ma'am," I say giving her my best smile.

"Eleazar, that is my second oldest daughter, Erin," she says pointing to the one decorating the cake and then she motions with her head towards the one at the stove, "and that's Lucy, Sean's wife."

I smile at them, "It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Soon a tall and muscular man steps into the room and I immediately see the resemblance. He is as huge as his sons who all look like they could play football, or I guess it would be rugby. He comes over and shakes my hand firmly as his wife places the flowers in a vase. He looks me up and down and smiles.

"Liam says you are a lawyer?"

I nod, "yes, sir. I am a partner at my firm." I elaborate.

He nods his approval, as Liam walks in and places the basket and the Cabernet on the table. His mom zeros in on the basket. I immediately open the cellophane wrapping and there is mumbling about what could be inside it.

"When I introduced Liam to my family he baked for them," I hear a couple of his brother's snickering and glance back to see them slapping him on the back as he casually flips them off, I grin and turn back to his mother, "so I thought I would offer you food as well, and," I pick up the wine, "something to toast with. Liam picked this out when we were in Napa a few months ago. He has excellent taste in wine." I look over my shoulder and smile at him.

"That is very kind, Eleazar," she motions for her husband, who takes the wine and goes to the cabinet, fumbling around, looking for glasses I presume.

"Patty," he starts but then stops, "Nevermind, I found 'em."

"First off, almost all of this is homemade." Everyone is now gathered in the kitchen, quietly listening to me. "This sauce here is very hot but this one not so much," I say pointing out some of my cousins' picante sauces, I then pick up a jar, "This salsa here is one of my mom's specialties; it's made with mangos but, umm…" I pause not wanting to say that mom still isn't talking to me, "I made this one for you as my mother wasn't able to."

I don't have to look at Liam to know that he stopped smiling. I turn around just as he looks to the ground, a sad expression on his face. I know that he feels responsible for mom not speaking to me but that is preposterous, this isn't about him but her not accepting me. I instinctually reach my hand to him and he sighs before walking over to me. I'm not sure what I plan on doing since everyone is around but when he approaches I rest my hand on his lower back, letting my fingers touch him gently before I reach for the pralines.

"These are Liam's favorite, they are Mexican Pralines. When I was little we didn't have very much. My father passed away when I was very young and his family refused to help us. To make extra money my family would spend hours shelling pecans on the weekends and making these to sell," I show them the label, "this is my Tia's restaurant, here try some," I open the pack and grin at Liam before passing them around.

When I get back to him I casually place one in his mouth which he hungrily takes, his smile firmly back in place. The first time I gave him these he ate the whole bag and got sick, that is way too much sugar for one sitting so now he is more careful. I spend the next ten minutes talking about the other items in the basket which range from Mexican hard candy to dried corn for soup, to special seasoning mixes, to margarita mixtures. After I am done his father passes out glasses of wine and everyone raises their hands to toast.

"To love and family, all one ever needs," his father says proudly.

We are then seated to eat and as I had done with my basket, Liam's mother explains not only what was in the stew she made but why it was made the way it was, along with the bread that had been made for the occasion and the other items that were brought including the special cake that Erin was frosting earlier. I listened mesmerized as she tells stories about how Liam's family came to be where they are, his lineage and the history of his people. I watch Liam's nieces and nephews smiling up at her and realize how much I miss my own mother and all the stories she would tell me about not just my father but where her people originated from in Mexico. I feel Liam's hand on my shoulder and I immediately place my hand over it, tilting my head to the side to kiss it softly.

Liam and I spent most of dinner whispering things back and forth to one another. It generally wasn't anything significant, more like little inside jokes about something either of us did or said. We do this so often that most of the time we don't realize we're doing it. But his family notices and when we hear a chuckle we both look up to find several of his siblings giving us knowing smiles. To which we shrug and try our best to contain ourselves but as the night progresses and the whiskey is being poured the touchier we become. It is odd for me because Liam and I are generally very careful when around other people but his family doesn't seem to mind at all which loosens my inhibitions. The reality is that they have accepted me and us in a way I wish my mother had.

"I'll be right back," he whispers in my ear. I nod and watch him walk towards the bathroom.

"I've never seen my brother happier," I hear beside me.

I turn to see his sister Siobhan, next to me. She is very pretty and as I watch her I notice that she and Liam have a lot of the same mannerisms. She is not very tall though, maybe about 5'6'' with a nice, curvy body. Her ginger hair falls to her shoulders and she has the same piercing stare that Liam has.

"The feeling is mutual," I say.

She smiles and once again, there is Liam's smile, "that's wonderful to hear. All he talks about is you. I probably know as much about your life as anyone," she says with a giggle.

"Hmm, should I be worried about that," I ask with a wink.

She blushes completely, "well, he doesn't tell me everything."

"That's good to know," I grin at her embarrassment.

"It's nice to see that he finally met someone," she quirks her head a little and gets a thoughtful expression on her freckled face, "you're his perfect match."

"I've asked him to move in with me," I blurt out.

"Really?" she says bouncing up to wrap her arms around my neck as she proceeds to kiss me on the cheek.

Liam walks back and arches his brow at the two of us. I shrug and set her down and she immediately does the same thing to him. Before anything else can be said or done we hear singing and turn to see his brothers. Their arms are locked around each other and they are motioning dramatically for Liam. He starts laughing as he makes his way up to them. I don't know what the hell they are singing but it is amazing to watch. Then I remember what he told me the night we saw Stanley Jordan, _you should see my brothers, they could out drink anyone on the planet_. I have a feeling I am going to see that first hand tonight. As they sing and even dance a bit I can't get over the happiness I feel inside, now I know why he is so special, how couldn't he be, having been raised in this loving and caring home. We spend the next several hours drinking and telling stories and every so often his brothers would break out into song again. Before I know what's happening, the lack of sleep, jet lag and the large quantity of alcohol I consumed catches up with me and I have dozed off, leaning against Liam.

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.

.

I don't know how long I have been sleeping but my head is now resting comfortably on Liam's lap and he is playing with my hair. I really love when he does that and I almost fall back to sleep but I hear the gentle hum of voices and curiosity gets the best of me. It takes some time to pick out who is talking but I ascertain that it is just Liam and his mom and I think I hear snoring coming from the left side of the room so maybe his dad is in the room as well.

"I like him, son," his mother states happily.

"I wish his mother felt the same way about me," I can hear the sadness in his tone as his fingers stop moving.

"It must have come as quite a shock for her," there is a pause and then she continues, "She has serious concerns about his soul. That is very real for her and you can't dismiss her feelings on it. Give her time to come to terms with it like your father and I did."

"I know you're right but," Liam sighs again and I feel his fingers begin to massage my scalp.

"How old is he, son?" she asks.

"He's twenty-eight, why?"

"Well, that's fourteen more years then we had of thinking that she would be planning his wedding, preparing to have grandchildren and a daughter in law, plus, he's her only child, correct?"

"Yes," he says with another sigh.

"Liam you have to understand where she is coming from. In her mind, who will give her grandchildren if he doesn't?" there is silence, "I love you son and I am not saying you two are in the wrong here because only a fool would not be able to see how happy you make each other but you need to be patient with his mother. Let her mourn the loss of grandchildren and a big church wedding and what she feels she is entitled to. That piece was the most difficult for me to accept," she is quiet for a moment, "because I know you would have made such a wonderful father."

When he doesn't respond to her I get a little worried as I don't feel his fingers in my hair anymore. I open my eyes, slowly, and see that he is watching me. He has tears streaking his handsome face but he still smiles down at me and then traces his fingertips over my lips.

"Well, hello there sleepy head," he says softly.

* * *

**A/N… so, yes, Ireland has been going well for them so far. What did you think about Liam's family and what Liam's mother said at the end there? I took that piece directly from a conversation I had with one of my friends when we were in grad school. He had been engaged before he came out as gay to his parents. I was pretty upset that they couldn't accept him and he just smiled at me and said, "I'm going to let them mourn what they think they lost and then they will be okay." He went on to tell me that they had a right to be sad or upset because in their eyes, they were losing what they thought every parent deserved, the wedding, the grandkids and the illusion of normalcy. That always stuck with me and I have often used that philosophy when I work with parents who are struggling with accepting their children's sexual orientation… okay, that's enough of the psychobabble… LOL… go check out the blog for some pictures. We are gonna spend one more chapter in Ireland because, well, I love it there :-) ... and a special thanks to Corinne for filling me in on council homes, as always, totally appreciate your help.**

**Spanish Translation:  
****Bebe, te ves tan sexy encima de mi, coño– Baby, you look so fucking sexy on top of me, fuck  
****Mi amor – My love**


	16. Chapter 16

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Ahhh, I totally love Liam's family. Okay, this chapter is for Banshee713, she'll know why :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**December 1982**

"Babe, are you okay," Liam asks, coming out of the bathroom and seeing my distraught face.

"Yeah, I'm good," I say, setting the phone down.

I've tried to call my mom a few times, not catching her. Being with Liam's family has really highlighted the importance of family. I need to make things right with my mom. I glance at Liam and smile. I have always been a practical gift giver. We had very little growing up so I tended to get clothes and things that could be useful. We didn't get gadgets and if there were toys it was because one of mom's employers gave them to her. So I must admit I was at a loss with what to do for Liam. Since he loved our trip to Napa I decided on another trip, in March, for our anniversary and a new jacket, leather, which he looks extremely fuckable in. He gave me a Rolex which I was a bit upset about. I don't like the idea of him spending that kind of money on me but it was a gift so I can't say anything.

"You ready babe?' he asks kissing me lightly on the forehead.

"Yeah, you got your sisters camera?" I ask.

He pats his pocket and frowns before turning around, seeing it on the nightstand. He snatches it up and the extra rolls of film, stuffing it in our duffle bag. As he walks over to me, he tosses the duffle bag over his shoulder and arches his brow.

"You know we are going to look like tourists."

I laugh, "We are tourists."

"You are but I'm not. I grew up in this country," he says slapping my ass as he walks by.

I roll my eyes and grab my jacket before slapping him on the ass and quickly exiting the room. We laugh as we enter the elevator and with no one inside he drops the bag and pins me against the elevator wall, his mouth close to mine. With my hand at the nape of his neck I bring his mouth all the way to mine as my tongue darts out, over his lips. Our kiss deepens almost instantaneously as his hands go to my face. I allow my other hand to slowly move down his chests and rest on his now prominent bulge, squeezing it lightly. He lets out a deep guttural moan as I begin to massage his cock. If it weren't for the ding indicating we reached the lobby we probably would have still been kissing, or, possibly, fucking.

"I think that's us," he mutters sadly against my lips.

"It is," I give him one last peck on the lips and let my fingertips trace along his cock before I step away from him.

I run my hands through my hair and walk past him towards the elevator doors. Glancing over my shoulder I see him catching his breath with his hands on his knees. I love getting him like that, all worked up. It should make for an interesting day today. A moment later he is right next to me with his hand on my lower back as he brings his mouth close to my ear.

"God, I want you so bad," his voice is dark and heavy.

I smirk at him and continue walking, trying to hold my chuckle inside. Truth is I want him pretty badly as well but hearing so much about his country from everyone makes me want to see it all. We have spent the last five days with his family. I have had the best time getting to know them all and listening to their funny tales about growing up in the O'Reilly family. A couple of days ago we were at his brother, Patrick's, house and his wife Margaret suggested that Liam take me to sightsee which I was all for. I hear him growl which draws my attention back to him. He is at my ear again as he pushes the door open.

"You're gonna kill me today aren't you?" he smiles and nips at my ear, discretely.

I laugh and nudge him away which causes him to let out a loud guffaw as he hands our valet ticket to the man outside. He nuzzles against my ear once the valet is out of sight and then catches himself, stepping away from me, smiling that infectious smile of his. Once our car is in front of us we head out on our journey. We are spending the night at a place called The Tara House which is in County Meath. Today we are going to explore some historical sites, including Trim Castle and The Hill of Tara, and then tomorrow we will hit and The Battle of the Boyne Site and The Brú na Bóinne. He said it will be a lot of walking so we are both in a pair of Levi's, long sleeve button down shirts and Doc Marten boots. It is a little cooler then Texas right now but not unbearable so just leather jackets are needed.

We hold hands throughout the drive as I watch the scenery going by and about midway there he moves my hand to his crotch. I smirk as I turn to him. He traces his tongue along his lips as I grip his bulge. He releases my hand and I start popping the buttons open, freeing his cock from the confines of his jeans. Sneaking a glance at him I see him gripping the steering wheel tightly as I casually run my thumb over and around his leaking tip. He starts shifting in his seat trying to position himself better for me.

"Fuck, El, suck me baby, please," he begs and just as I am about to do just that we hear a siren. I remove my hand and scoot all the way over, adjusting my seatbelt.

"Shit, shit, shit!" he says as he glances at me while shoving his hard cock uncomfortably inside his jeans and buttoning them quickly while he pulls over.

"Sir, do you know how fast you were going?" The officer says and all I can do is laugh.

Liam is always telling me how fast I drive and that I am going to get a speeding ticket. He is probably right but I find it humorous that it is him that is stopped for speeding. Ten minutes later, after getting a warning, we are off again.

"Don't say anything," he says trying not to laugh.

"Wouldn't dream of it," I chuckle.

Thirty minutes later we are pulling into Trim. I want to do the walking tour figuring it will give us the most access to things and when they say it's a walking tour they really mean, walking, a lot. We have already been to the St. Patrick's Church, The Wellington Monument, and The Dublin Gate and are now back where we started at Trim Castle. The Castle is amazing from the outside and I can't wait to see what it looks like on the inside. I once again wanted to do the tour but this time Liam said no. Apparently he has other ideas.

"I have been here before, so let me be your… guide," he whispers seductively in my ear.

I glance over my brochure and arch a knowing brow at him. He smiles as his hand rests on my lower back for only a moment before he starts talking.

"Did you know that Trim Castle is the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland?" He asks as he directs me down one of the hallways. "Construction began in 1172 and took thirty years to finish."

I smile, "handsome and smart."

He whispers in my ear, "and great in bed."

"Of course, not so much in a car though," I say with a wink.

He rolls his eyes and continues, "The tower itself is three stories high and has twenty sides. It's protected by a ditch, a stone curtain and a moat. Perfect for vampires don't ya think?"

I laugh, "vampires huh, I must have missed that in the brochure."

"Oh, they like to keep that a secret," he says wagging his brows.

I laugh again and shake my head, "let me guess, there is a room for all the coffins?"

"Oh baby, vampires don't sleep," he moves close to me again, "they just drink blood and fornicate all day and night."

I grin, "hmm, maybe we should be vampires that sounds pretty promising."

He raises his jacket like a cape and nips at my neck, snickering. I push him away as we both laugh loudly, drawing attention to ourselves. He clears his throat and brushes his jacket down, getting all serious again as he starts pointing out various things.

"There were plenty of living quarters and a large great hall and even a chapel. Once inside people really didn't need to leave for anything," he says in tour guide mode.

"Convenient," I state as we continue to explore.

We come to a point where we can actually see the curtain wall. He walks us over so that we can look over the railing, nudging me slightly as he starts talking again.

"The curtain wall was defended by five D-shaped towers and entry to the castle was only through two gates," he starts pointing out the towers and then points to one of the gates, "One of the gates was called the Dublingate which we explored earlier and it had a barbican projecting from the tower. The barbican spanned the water filled moat which surrounded the curtain wall and had a draw bridge which was operated from above."

I grin at how serious he is being. He then actually moves me so that I can see the other gate, coming very close to me as he talks.

"The other gate was called the Towngate and it had a portcullis to protect it as well as a _murder hole,_" he says the last part with emphasis.

"Will they let us in all those areas as well?" I ask, fascinated.

"Yeah, we can go check 'em out," he says smiling at my enthusiasm.

We spend the next ninety minutes exploring everything. I went through two rolls of film just in the castle alone. We were also able to get a picture together as one of the employees offered to take it before we left. We then continued on our walking tour of the city which was a little over 3 miles. I was starving by this point so we grabbed a bite to eat at a place called Brogans Bar and Steakhouse which was nice. Mostly because it was actually kind of dark and we were able to get a booth in the corner, out of the way. Before he moves to the other side he kisses me lightly and pulls his bottom lip in his mouth as he sits down. God, he's sexy!

"What can I get you," the waitress says looking between the two of us.

.

.

.

I am beat and my legs hurt like hell. By the time we return to the hotel later that evening I realize that I am definitely not in _that_ good of shape. We have probably walked close to ten miles today. I know Liam is fine, his sexy ass runs ten miles every day but hell I'm a damn attorney. I spend most of my days in an office or a courtroom. I am lucky if I get any exercise in. The Hill of Tara was spectacular though, but, unfortunately, it was indeed a hill. It was marked by various designs on the actual hillside and I found out that it served as the ancient spiritual and political capital of Ireland. For over two thousand years royalty occupied the spot and I can understand why. Not only was the view spectacular but we were told that the pastureland surrounding the area was considered the richest in all of Ireland. Considering what I've seen of Ireland so far that's a pretty big feat in my book.

"I can't move," I exclaim as I plop onto our bed exhausted.

I hear him chuckle but I don't move. I don't think I can. Soon my foot is on his bended knee as he unlaces my boot. With a clunk it and its match are on the floor. My eyes are already closed as he begins to massage my feet and honestly if I were a cat I would be purring because that feels really good. I wish my mouth were operational right now so that I could actually tell him that but instead I make some weird humming noise. When I feel his hands start to unbutton my jeans I know I need to stop him.

"Baby, I want you but…" I start to say until I feel his fingers over my lips.

"Shhh, just relax," he whispers before kissing me lightly on the lips.

He proceeds to remove my clothes and is then scooting me up on the bed. At this point I am probably of absolutely no use to him as my entire body hurts. How can my back hurt from walking? That makes no sense but it's sore. Before I can process this thought any further I feel his strong hands kneading lotion into my calf. Now, I know that I moan or at least I think that I do. By the time he finishes with my calves and thighs he rolls me on my stomach and I swear I am in a trance like state. He starts at my lower back and works his way up to my shoulders and I feel so relaxed that I actually fall asleep. I wake only slightly when he pulls my body flush to his, wrapping his arms around me.

"I love you," I mumble sleepily.

He kisses my temple, "I love you too, El."

~LoN~

"I had a great time," I say glancing at him as we head back towards Dublin.

"I did too. You know I have been to all of these places before but seeing them through your eyes made me appreciate them even more. Does that make sense?"

I nod, "We never pay attention to where we are from until we share it with someone else."

"Are you still tired?" he asks wistfully.

"I am but maybe we could go for a swim and take a dip in the Jacuzzi when we get back to the hotel."

"That would be nice," he says with a smile.

I grin and close my eyes. Liam has worn me out over the past few days and it wasn't even about sex because we actually only had sex once and that was this morning before we headed out. We had hit the Brú na Bóinne first because I really wanted to see that. It makes up three sites, Newgrange, Knoth and Dowth. Newgrange is the largest and is basically an ancient temple that is surrounded my curbstones decorated with megalithic art. Inside we listened to people talking about what the different carvings meant. We then visited the Battle of the Boyne site where we were able to go on the actual battle site where King William III fought King James II in July of 1690. It was pretty interesting but by the time we were done I was ready to go back to the hotel, soak in the Jacuzzi and make love to Liam.

"Babe, wake up, El, we're here," he says touching my shoulder.

I blink my sleepy eyes just as Liam flings my door open, "do you still want to go for a dip in the pool," he asks with a smile.

I nod, "most definitely."

Twenty minutes later I am taking my first lap in the pool. I hear splashing to my left as Liam passes me. I pick it up a notch and make the turn, quickly passing him. He can definitely beat me in pretty much all athletic areas but not swimming. It is the one exercise I still do, when I get a chance. I am often at the office so late that it is difficult to get any laps in but after this week I got a serious slap in the face and know that I need to be more diligent about working out. I get to the end of the pool and wait for him. He stops when his hand touches the rail and damn he's beautiful, all soaking wet.

"That was amazing, El," he says out of breath.

I smile and start doing several laps, feeling the tension in my body start to fall away as my muscles pull and move with every stroke. When I finally stop I look for Liam and find him in the Jacuzzi already, watching me. I swim over there and quickly get in the warm water. The jet streams pound against my worn body in an almost ethereal way. There is still no one in sight so I position myself on his lap and bring my mouth to his. After several minutes he runs his fingers through my wet hair as he pulls back from me.

"The first four months of the year are extremely busy for me. I can't quit until May," he says not looking at my eyes but at my collarbone where his fingers are gently tracing.

I don't say anything because I really wanted him to move in right away. May seems so far away. I don't like this. I want him with me now.

"I'm sorry. I can tell you're upset," he says sadly.

I turn to him and his eyes are studying me, "I'm, umm, disappointed but I understand. Your job is as important as mine. We will just continue as we are doing now until then." I say trying to mask the feelings of hurt I am experiencing.

"I have a lot of responsibilities that I…" he starts to explain but I shake my head.

"It's okay. I'm being selfish," I say cutting him off, "how about we go to our room, shower, make love," I kiss him softly; "we can work out the details of you moving in with me later, okay?" I ask with another soft kiss.

He nods and finally smiles as he brings his mouth to mine again.

.

.

.

It's New Year's Eve and we are at his brother's bar. Everyone is here. We have had a blast so far playing darts which Liam is kicking my ass in and pool which we are sort of tied in but that's only because I have resorted to distraction. What can I say? My competitive side needs a little boost. His entire family is simply wonderful and has been fully accepting of me in Liam's life. So much so that I will be returning to Houston with way more then I came with, enough so that I needed to buy a small duffle bag to fit everything. I also am returning with a long list of orders for various food items. Seems my cousin's picante sauce was a big hit at the bar and everyone is obsessed with the pralines. I am really going to hate to leave on Sunday. Especially since Liam won't be coming home with me.

"You okay," he asks, handing me another beer.

"Yeah, but I'm going to miss being here," I pull him a little closer to me, "I'll miss waking up with you every morning."

"I'm going to miss that too," he says but his words are drowned out by the chaos that is ensuing around us as people begin screaming Happy New Years to everyone around.

"Happy New Year's, El," he says close to my lips.

"Feliz año nuevo, mi amor," I mumble as my lips touch his.

* * *

**A/N… They have had a great time in Ireland. Banshee713 I hope I did your hometown proud. Go check out the blog everyone for some great pics of the places they went to. I got most of the material from the following websites, www dot tarahouseaccommodation dot ie/tourism and www dot meath dot ie/Tourism/, which are two great sources of information about County Meath.**

**Spanish Translation:  
****Feliz año nuevo, mi amor – Happy New Year, my love**


	17. Chapter 17

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Man oh man, I loved Ireland! But moving right along :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**March 1983**

We have had a fantastic time so far in San Francisco. I selected it because Liam seemed really interested in visiting when we went to Napa last year. Since returning from Ireland we haven't been able to spend as much time together as either of us would like as he has already started his rounds, working with various corporations in San Antonio, El Paso and Dallas. At least when he worked in Houston we got to see each other every day but that was only a week in between two two-week stints where we would not see each other at all. Needless to say we both worked around our weekend away, we needed it, desperately.

We have been all over in the two days we have been here. We spent time at Fisherman's Wharf on our first day which was a lot of fun and then we even took a ride on the cable cars later that evening which was great. Earlier today we explored the many museums at Golden Gate Park and walked many of the trails there. The ones near the Japanese Tea Garden were exquisite. At least this time I don't feel crazy out of shape like I did in Ireland. Thanks to my now daily workouts in the pool, I could handle the long day. We considered taking a ferry to Sausalito but that wasn't in the cards for this visit, not enough time as we are heading back to Texas tomorrow. One of the best things about this trip though was that San Francisco is much more 'open' and we found ourselves holding hands and even kissing once or twice, in public, like any other couple might do. It's been very freeing. We are just now returning from a night out, eating and then dancing. We are both a little tipsy as we stumble into our suite at the Warwick San Francisco Hotel.

"Get undressed," I mumble between our impassioned kiss.

He doesn't stop kissing me as we kick off our shoes and stumble around trying to get completely undressed while our lips remained locked, our tongues entangled with one another. My hands are in his pants, helping him along as he is pushing my shirt off. It seems to take us twenty minutes to get undressed and I literally push him on top of the bed as I straddle his hips, grinding against him.

"Don't move," I demand as I jump off the bed.

"Yes, sir," he drunk giggles and gives me a salute.

I laugh and haphazardly look around the floor for what I want and then grab the lube from the nightstand. When I straddle his hips again, his chest is heaving as he reaches out for me. I smirk and grab his wrist; jerking it to the foot post where I use his discarded tie to bind him there.

"Ah, fuck, El," he starts panting as I use my tie to bind his other wrist.

His cock is at full staff right now and the feral look in his eyes tells me he is not opposed to what I am doing. To be honest, I don't know what I am doing myself but last night I had the most erotic dream ever and it involved me tying him to these bed posts. My mouth is on his as I swallow his grunts and groans. I slowly move away from him as he stretches his neck, trying to reach me, wanting more. I settle over his chest, holding my cock in my hand as I trace my tip along his parted lips.

"Do you want this?" I ask, moving my head just out of reach.

"Yes, fuck, yes," he cries out before opening his mouth for me.

I move closer and push my cock inside his mouth as his expert tongue starts working its magic. I don't let him work me too long though or I will come way to soon so I pull out of his mouth, hearing him whine in return. I look down at him and then position myself so I can kiss him before once again pulling away abruptly. I smirk and turn my body so that my ass is close to his mouth. He doesn't hesitate as his tongue darts out and moves over me greedily. His knees are up so I quickly grab onto them as I wrap my mouth around his cock. He lets out a gurgled moan as he starts to suck harder around my opening, sticking his tongue inside me.

"Seguir haciendo eso, aspírelo bebé más," I murmur before taking his cock down my throat again.

Over this past year he has definitely picked up on a few Spanish words. He never asks me but I think he must look them up or something because he immediately starts sucking harder. I reach for the lube beside us and immediately lube my fingers, pushing them inside of him. He is moaning and arching his hips and I can feel him pulling on his arms instinctually, forgetting he is tied up. I start sucking harder until I feel his body shudder and the first wave of come hits my throat. I jerk my mouth away from him which slows the flow temporarily as I spread his come all over his cock. Before he has a chance to think about anything else he is buried deep inside of me.

"El, oh fuck, fuck, fuck, yes, baby," he starts talking gibberish which is really turning me on.

He comes almost instantaneously as I move up and down, milking him for all that he has. In the meantime, I lube my own cock, pulling off of his now flaccid member and impale him with my own, moving quickly in and out of him while he lets out crazy little grunting noises as he once again tries to move his arms. I grab his legs and spread them, placing a hand on each thigh so that I can hold him in place. He is moving his arms wildly as I start pounding into him harder and harder as he groans and lets out curses interspersed throughout his rabid panting. I can't get over how turned on I am, seeing him all tied up for me. I continue to fuck him hard until I finally feel my release take me. I scream out, letting my own string of Spanish curse words spew from my lips as my orgasm ripples through me. Soon my thrusts begin to slow and my cock deflates inside him. I slip out and start kissing up his stomach and chest, making a quick pass over his lips before untying his left wrist. He immediately entwines his hand in my hair and once I release his right wrist he rolls us on our side and begins kissing me sweetly.

"That was," he sighs and ghosts his lips over my mouth, "what made you think of that?"

I actually flush, slightly embarrassed. He nuzzles his nose against mine.

"Tell me, baby, that was really good, better than good, probably the hottest thing we have ever done," he whispers as he peppers my face with kisses.

"I had a dream about it."

He lets out an actual giggle as he kisses me again, "What other naughty things do you do to me in your dreams?" he asks and I can feel his smile. "Maybe we should get a bed like this because I really enjoyed that. Did you?"

I nod but then tug on his hair lightly as I pull his head back some. When he sees the serious look in my eyes he quickly sobers up.

"The best thing to ever happen to me was you walking into my life last year. No one or nothing will ever be as important to me as you." I tenderly run my fingers along the outline of his face, "I'll never let anything or anyone come between us." My hand then rests on his face as I trace his lips with my thumb, "You're my life Liam and I'll always protect you, forever."

His brow tenses as he swallows thickly, "you're everything to me too, El," he says, his voice comes out raw and cracked, laced with emotions. "I didn't start living until the day I met you and I plan on spending the rest of my life showing you just how special you are to me. I love you so very much," he says, tears finally coming out of his eyes.

"I love you," I say before my lips are against his.

~LoN~

**May 1983**

After we returned home from San Francisco we didn't get to see each other for two weeks and then that was only for the weekend before he was gone again. It was harder and harder to be away from him. I wanted to be understanding, I really did but there was a part of me that felt like saying 'quit your damn job, I'm a partner and make twice as much as you' but, I didn't do that. He loves what he does and is obviously good at it. I look at the clock again, he's late. I hope there wasn't a problem with the moving company. We had a lot of discussion about his furniture as it seemed silly to keep it since my condo is pretty much furnished. So we decided that he would bring his bedroom furniture which we would put in the spare bedroom, he would also bring all his kitchen gadgets because, let's face it, he has top of the line things and I only have what we bought last year. He would also set up all his fancy entertainment items. I have already made room for his clothes and personal belongings in my bedroom and the rest of his things were sold. I finally hear a knock and jump off the couch.

"Hey baby," I say excitedly unfortunately he doesn't look happy, "what's the matter?"

He kisses me softly, "the movers are assholes."

I look at him questioningly as the movers start bringing things into the house. Liam is directing them and they seem okay to me that is until one of the guys brings in a box labeled suits and immediately starts to take it to the spare bedroom.

"Hey, that doesn't go in there. That goes in this room," I say decidedly as I motion towards my bedroom.

He stares at me for a moment and looks at Liam who is in the kitchen, unloading some of his things. He then looks back at me and I can see it. There is disgust in his eyes, disapproval, and hate. Who the hell does he think he is to judge me, to judge us? I narrow my eyes and walk towards him.

"Do you have a problem with that?" I ask, poised to attack.

He starts to say something but then closes his mouth before shaking his head. I move closer to him and he instinctually steps back. God, I love the effect I can have on people, especially when they do that on the stand because when they do I know I have them.

"Good, because I'm not paying you to like me or my partner or our lifestyle," his eyes widen and he quickly looks away from me. "Look at me!" I demand and his eyes lift to mine, "Do I look like I care what your narrow mind thinks of me?" he swallows and averts his eyes again, "I'm paying you to move items from one home to another, is that something you can handle?" I ask curtly and he nods slightly. "Good, but I swear to you if one single thing is broken in the process you will regret it. Do you have any idea what I do for a living?" he shakes his head. "Well, let's just say that I would have no qualms about suing you for discrimination and your employer for negligence and trust me, I will win because I am THAT good," he is staring at me open mouthed. "Do we understand each other?" I ask with a confidence that often startles people.

"I… I'm sorry sir," he says taking a deep breath and then moving the box into my bedroom.

I watch him with my arms crossed and then eye him as he walks out of the room and towards the door. I stride over to Liam with purpose, my anger boiling.

"Did he say anything to you?" I ask him and it is clear that I am upset. When he doesn't answer right away I slap my hands on the counter, "God damn it, Liam, did that asshole fucking say anything to you?" I yell.

Now Liam furrows his brows, "First off, don't curse at me unless we are having sex because when you do it then it is hot as hell but it isn't so hot when you're pissed off and taking it out on me."

I stand up straight and stare at him, at a complete loss for words. He comes around the corner of the counter and steps right in front of me.

"Secondly, no, neither of them said anything to me directly. I just overheard a few snide comments about faggots in general. Until this moment, I don't think they realized I was gay."

He gently touches my face, "And thirdly, you can't threaten to sue everyone who doesn't agree with our love. You'll spend all day in court which will be no fun for me," he says with a smirk.

He leans in and kisses me softly on the lips, "Fourthly…"

"There's a fourthly? Christ, Liam," I say trying not to smile.

He grins, "Fourthly, that was pretty damn sexy, you defending my honor and everything."

I latch my fingertips inside the top of his jeans, tugging him closer.

"Where does this go?" one of the movers asks, breaking our moment before it begins.

"Master bedroom, thanks," Liam says with a smile that is not returned. He then turns to me and winks, "I am so fucking you tonight."

* * *

**A/N… Alright the little bondage scene was inspired by a picture I had of Jason O'Mara who was handcuffed naked to a bed for his show Terra Nova…LOL, what can I say, who doesn't like a little S & M *wink wink* Well folks, they have moved in with each other. Now the fun begins! Go check out the blog for some pics from the hotel they stayed at in San Francisco and a few of the sites they visited as well as my inspirational picture :-)**

**Spanish Translation:  
****Seguir haciendo eso, aspírelo bebé más – Continue doing that, suck it baby**


	18. Chapter 18

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So they are living together, YEAH! We are going to jump ahead a few years.**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

**March 1985**

I walk out of our bathroom and find Liam at the table, looking at the detail on the six Kachina's we bought last night. It has become a custom of ours to go away for the weekend, every March, to celebrate our anniversary. First year we went to San Francisco, then last year we went to New York and this year Sedona. We arrived around two o'clock yesterday and after checking into our suite at the Enchantment Resort we headed out to Tlaquepaque which is an art and crafts village. It was very quaint with a lot of little stores, restaurants, and fountains everywhere. Liam fell in love with these Kachina figures, which are little hand carved dolls that personify things in the real world. They were done by a local Hopi artist and we ended up buying several of them. Today we will be hiking which was the main reason we selected Sedona in the first place.

"Baby, you ready to head out?" I ask, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"These things are fascinating, aren't they?" he asks, not moving.

"Yes, they are. Hey, maybe we should get some more and we can give them as gifts when we see the family in December?" I suggest.

He looks up, "That's a perfect idea," he stands and kisses me.

I pull him closer, placing my hands on his ass, "now let's go before we end up staying in the room all day."

He grins and pecks me on the lips before stepping out of my grasp. He grabs our bag which is well stocked with water and all sorts of healthy food for our hike up Cathedral Rock. My understanding is the trail is only about a mile and a half but the first part is really steep. Thankfully, I think I can handle it. Since Liam has been living with me we eat very healthy and exercise regularly. I have taken to running with him most nights and doing laps in the pool every morning before anyone else is up. As a result I am probably in the best shape of my life.

"Let's go," he says slapping my ass as he runs by me.

I shake my head and laugh. That's his go to move with me it seems. We head out to begin our journey, laughing and joking the entire way. Ten miles into our drive he stops talking and sits up straight.

"Babe, pull off at the next exit," he says, in a very serious tone.

I glance at him, "Sure, where are we going?"

"I saw a sign for the Chapel of the Holy Cross. I read about it. Let's stop okay?"

"Sure, whatever you want babe," I say taking the exit.

I follow the signs and loop around until we come to the chapel. It's unbelievable. It seems to be embedded in the actual red rock formation. How in the heck did they do that? I stop so that we can take a few pictures and then we drive around to the parking lot. We start walking up the pathway that leads to the entrance and I notice that Liam seems very determined. I follow him inside and he starts breathing hard, focused and resolute. He immediately makes his way to the altar, kneeling down and making the sign of the cross. He then rises and walks to the line of candles, lighting one and once again kneeling down where he begins to diligently pray. I walk up to the alter, bowing as Liam had and make the sign, praying the rosary before standing and lighting a candle, kneeling down next to him. His eyes are shut tight and he is mumbling his prayer over and over again. I watch him for a moment before I begin my prayers.

_Heavenly father full of grace, I come to you in a humble way_

Once I finish praying for my mom, that she would come to accept me and Liam, for Liam, that he be happy and always protected, and our families in general, I stand and notice that Liam is already waiting for me. He smiles as I walk up to him and immediately pulls me close, kissing me on top of my forehead. He takes my hand in his as we walk outside, blinded by the suns bright rays. I want desperately to ask him what he was praying so fervently about but I know that wouldn't be appropriate. If he wants me to know he will tell me. As we are going down the path he stops and cocks his head to the side.

"I think that's Cathedral Rock," he says pointing towards a large rock formation in the distance.

"Really?" I ask, slightly scared, that thing is huge.

He lets go of my hand and takes his camera out, snapping a few pictures and then turning it on me, laughing as I frown. He always manages to get these candid shots of me. I grab it and start snapping away at him for once while he tries to wrestle the camera out of my grip. We must look very silly as our hands twist and turn, vying for dominance.

"Stop, you're wasting the film," he says between his crazy laughing.

"Alright but stop taking pictures of me," I grin, handing it over.

He sticks it back in his pocket and pulls me close to him, kissing me gently on the lips before taking my hand again as we walk the rest of the way to our car. What we have discovered is that on our trips we really don't care what people think of us or our relationship. We hold hands, we kiss, and it doesn't matter because no one knows us at all so if they give us dirty looks or mumble about us, we can easily ignore it because we know we will never see them again and that they have absolutely no bearing on our life. We are free, if for only a few days. Soon we are off again to go the short eight miles to the trail head for Cathedral Rock.

"Wow, that is really something," I say in amazement.

"It is, isn't it," he says kissing my temple.

"Are you sure that's only a mile and a half? That looks a hell of a lot more," I say eyeing the large rock formation.

He chuckles next to me and slips his hand in my back pocket, "come on babe, I bet the view from the top is incredible."

.

.

.

"Let's go to the pool," I say as we walk into the room.

He smiles, "you're not tired?"

"A little, but a good swim will loosen my muscles. Come on. I know _you_ aren't tired," I laugh.

Ten minutes later we are at the pool and I am doing laps. I love being in the water, always have. My muscles flex as I make my turn and shift to a breast stroke. That's generally how I do my laps, four freestyle, then the breast stroke, then the butterfly, then the backstroke and then four more freestyle laps to cool down. Twenty laps in all. I taught Liam how to do all the strokes as well but he usually just does the freestyle and then watches me do the rest. As I pull up after my last lap I run my hands through my wet hair and blow out a breath.

"I'll never tire of that," he says, looking me up and down.

I smile, "do you want to take a dip in the Jacuzzi?"

He nods and as we get out of the pool and slip into the warm water, a few more people wander to the pool and a young couple gets in the Jacuzzi with us.

"You swim really well. Do you do that professionally?" the woman asks.

Liam laughs and I nudge him before turning to them, "No, I just swim for fun and exercise."

"You are really good. You could probably be in the Olympics or something," she says smiling.

I laugh, "I might be a bit old for that but thank you for the compliment," I say smiling brightly.

"Are you all from here?" Liam asks.

"No, we are from LA. We are on an anniversary trip," he smirks at her, "five years."

She smiles and kisses him softly before turning back to us, "We don't get to leave very much but my mom offered to babysit so here we are," she says excitedly.

I grin and give them a slight nod but inside I scream that Liam and I are celebrating our anniversary as well. I open my mouth to say something but Liam interjects first.

"That's wonderful. How many children do you have?" he asks thoughtfully but there is something off about his expression.

"Two," they say in unison and then giggle at themselves.

"What about you? You guys here for business or pleasure," the man asks with a laugh.

"Business," Liam replies quickly and I turn to him, utterly confused.

"Ahh, well that's no fun," he says with a chuckle.

"Do either of you have children?" she asks the two of us.

"No," Liam replies with an edge of anger and turns to me, "I'm heading up," he says curtly.

"Uh, okay, well, I'll come with you," I say watching him get out of the Jacuzzi, snatching his towel quickly as he makes his way out of the pool area. I stand and smile at the couple, "have a wonderful night and enjoy your vacation."

"You too, don't work too hard," he says, wrapping his arm around his wife.

I catch up with Liam at the elevator.

"What's wrong?" I ask as the doors open. He shakes his head as he steps inside.

"I'm sorry, that was really rude of me," he says washing his hands over his face and leaning against the back of the elevator.

"Baby, what's going on?" I approach him but a hand stops the elevator doors from closing and several people get in.

I step back and continue to watch Liam. He is looking to the ground, his hands against the railing behind him. I don't know what's been going on with him lately. Now that I think about it, he has been weird since returning from Dallas two weeks ago. He seems to be… off. When we get in the room he immediately goes into the bathroom and shuts the door, basically shutting me out and soon I hear the shower turn on. I frown. What the hell! Normally he wants us to shower together. I sigh and pick up the menu near the phone and order their best Cabernet and the Colorado Lamb for dinner.

Twenty minutes later he exits the bathroom and walks into the bedroom, to change I presume. I watch him for a moment before walking in the bathroom myself. I take a long hot shower, debating the possibilities. I know he didn't meet anyone. He wouldn't do that to me. He has seemed happy living with me; we haven't gotten into any arguments. His job has been great. We bought out, well, I bought out, his share of the company and part of the settlement was that he would keep half of his clients while the others would shift to other accountants at his old firm. He kept all of his clients in Houston and half of the ones in San Antonio and a couple in Dallas. Over the last few years he has continued to be busy and has even picked up a few more local corporations. So his mood isn't about work. And I'm sure if something was happening with his family he would have told me.

I finish up and walk into the living room in just my robe and see the food on the table, still covered up. I glance towards the patio and Liam is sitting in one of the chairs sipping a glass of wine. He is still in his robe and I can tell his legs are crossed. I walk out and sit down in the other chair. He sighs heavily before turning to me and pouring me a glass of wine.

"Thank you for ordering dinner for us," he says, taking a sip of his wine.

"You're welcome," I say, bringing my glass to my lips.

He turns and is watching the rock formation across from our balcony, not saying a word. We sit there in silence for several minutes until I can't take it anymore. I need answers.

"Baby, you need to tell me what's going on," I say decidedly.

He turns to me, "I want a child."

My mouth parts and I know I must look shell shocked because he reaches over and touches my hand. He looks sad and I don't know what to say. We have never talked about children. Hell, once I accepted that I was gay I sort of extinguished the possibility of being a father. Not that I had thought of it much before but I always knew it was expected of me.

"When I was in Dallas, I spent that one night at John and Shelly's house. Remember, I told you I was going to do that?" he asks, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I nod slightly, "That's the family you lived with in high school."

"Yes, they are. Well, their youngest son, who is now twenty four, he already has three kids and, I don't know, he teased me. I mean, he doesn't know that I'm gay. Anyway, he joked about how I'm getting too old and that I should have kids by now. I played it off but then the next day when I went for my run these two boys were playing in the street and one fell off his bike and I saw his dad run up to him, he picked him up and carried him back to their house. They walked right by me and the dad looked at me and shrugged. As if to say, you know how it is, except I don't know how it is and then he kissed his son on the head and I…" he shakes his head and there are tears already pooling in his eyes, "I want that El, I want to run up to my son, our son and comfort him and tell him everything is going to be okay when he falls or is hurt."

"You want us to… adopt a child?" I ask hesitantly, thinking that would be the only way we could have a kid.

"Yes, I want us to adopt a child. I want to be a father, don't you?"

"I guess I never really thought about it."

"I see," he says looking down.

He sighs again and gets up, walking over to the railing and looking absently into the distance. Holy shit! he wants us to have a kid. I'm not sure I'm ready for that. I kind of like the idea of it being just us. Finally, I stand and go to him, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head between his shoulder blades. He lets out a deep breath before placing his hand over mine.

"I'm not saying I don't want to do it. I'm just saying I have never considered it. Is this a decision we need to make this moment or can we talk about it more?" I ask, pulling him against me closer. "Liam, I love you and there isn't anything I wouldn't do to make you happy but this is a very big thing you want to do and its something that we need to discuss further, okay. I'm not saying no, I'm saying let's talk about the options and possibilities, alright."

He nods and turns his head slightly, kissing me softly. I deepen it and untie the sash of his robe at the same time. He moans softly as my hand begins to caresses his chest before resting over his rapidly beating heart. I stop kissing him and stare intensely into his eyes.

"You should have talked to me about what happened and how you were feeling two weeks ago. Don't keep things from me," I say firmly.

He closes his eyes, "I'm sorry. I should have told you earlier."

"I don't want secrets between us. We are all we have. Promise me you won't do that again." I say and he can hear the urgency in my voice because his eyes shoot open as he nods his head, turning all the way around.

"No secrets, ever," he kisses me, "I love you."

* * *

**A/N… So hmmm, yes sirree, a decision has been made, so to speak. Thanks Amanda for the Sedona suggestion that was exactly what I wanted. Alright peeps, go check out the blog for some pictures (lawofnumbers-lovinrob dot blogport dot come)… catch ya tomorrow **


	19. Chapter 19

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Well, well, well, looks like Liam is pretty adamant, will El come on board with this?**

* * *

**Chapter 19**

**July 1985**

I shift my desk calendar and smile at the pictures of Liam and me together. I keep pictures under there from our various trips. Aside from clients no one ever comes into my office and if they do they certainly would have no reason to lift my calendar and see them. I drop the pages and lean back in my chair, closing my eyes and tapping my chin nervously. When we returned home from Arizona we talked extensively about family. I had some concerns initially. Okay, I had a lot of concerns at what having a child would mean to Liam and I. I sigh as I remember one particular conversation that didn't turn out so well.

"_Why are you fighting me on this, El?" he says slapping the application on the table._

"_This is ridiculous what they want to know, and now we have to submit to some home study where they are going to critique us. What the hell is that about?" I rant as I walk to the bar and pour a shot of bourbon, downing it quickly._

_He narrows his eyes and his body tenses, "It's to ensure that adoptive parents have the means and are stable enough to have a child. It's to protect the…" I cut him off before he can finish._

"_Well, if you ask me if they did THAT in the first place there wouldn't be a need for adoptions because these fucked up parents wouldn't be pregnant at all," I huff as I pour another shot of bourbon._

_He isn't saying anything but I can feel his eyes boring into my back. When I look back at him he is glaring at me. I turn around, watching him as I down my shot and then set the glass down. He crosses his arms so I cross mine._

"_Hell, how do we know that the kid we get isn't some drug baby or that the person took care of themselves, huh," I arch my brow as his lips form a thin line, "how do we know that we aren't going to get some malnourished deformed baby with all these special needs because the parents are a mess," I practically scream as I push off of the bar._

"_That's ridiculous, El, the parents in these agencies are screened and…" once again I cut him off._

"_I don't want anyone looking into my life like that, examining my financial records, scrutinizing my home," I say tersely and then push the glass off of the bar, hearing it shatter as it hits the floor, "I'm going for a swim."_

_I practically run to the bedroom, knowing if I stay longer I am going to say something I will most definitely regret. I frown realizing I have already done that. FUCK! I rip my clothes off, tossing them angrily in the hamper and pull out my swim trucks. I feel his presence and as I pull up my shorts I turn to see him standing in the doorway. His hands are balled at his sides and he looks like he is ready to fight me. And I don't mean yell at me but literally kick my ass._

"_Say it!" he seethes._

"_Say what?" I ask annoyed._

"_You don't want to do this?"_

_I run my hand in my hair and head towards the doorway, stopping in front of him._

"_I love you," I say and then push past him into the hall to grab a towel from the closet._

"_That doesn't answer my question." _

_I glance at him and his expression and stance has softened. He looks concerned, sad even. I close my eyes and breathe in deeply before starting for the door, stopping with my hand on the knob. I don't turn though, I can't. I can't look in his eyes right now._

_"You've always been enough for me," I say hearing him gasp as I walk out. _

_I need to clear my head. Throwing my towel haphazardly on one of the lounge chairs I dive into the pool. I am doing my laps, much faster than I normally do and I know that I'm going to pay for it later but I need to get this out. I can't stand that we're fighting. It makes my chest hurt and for a moment I actually lose my breath. I barely get a full lap in before stopping midstride, in the center of the pool. The heel of my palm covering my eyes which I didn't realize were wet with tears. I'm actually gasping. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm trying desperately to catch my breath when I hear movement. I turn in the direction of the noise in time to see Liam sit on the edge of the pool, slipping his feet in the water. He reaches his hand out to me and I swim over to him, coming up between his legs. My arms immediately wrap around his waist as I set my head on his thigh. His hand goes into my hair, his fingers gently caressing me._

"_You're enough for me El, please don't think this is about that," he says massaging my scalp._

_I don't say anything, I can't, I'm crying, something I never do. He starts running his hand over my shoulders while he continues to play with my wet hair. I feel him take a deep breath before he leans down and kisses the top of my head._

"_I think we need to put this adoption idea on hold. You're not ready and I'm rushing, that's not a very good combination," he whispers, kissing my head once again._

I blink and breathe in deeply as I am brought back to the present. True to his word, he didn't bring it up any more. We went about our regular routine of work, exercise and quiet nights inside. He was perfect; we were perfect. On occasion I would catch him watching a young family longingly but he never said anything to me about it. It wasn't until July 4th that I finally came around.

_I was kind of upset that we couldn't use the boat this year but one of the other partners snatched it before I could, so we decided to go to the festival instead. It was a great choice because we've had a wonderful time so far and have been laughing nonstop since arriving. When nighttime descends we find a nice spot to sit back and watch the fireworks display. God! I really wish I could wrap my arms around him like we do when we are on the boat but that isn't a possibility, not here. I am lost in thought when my eyes are drawn elsewhere. To my right there is a little boy, maybe two or three years old, tugging on his father's shirt, desperately, he then turns and locks eyes with me and it's as if he really sees me._

"_Daddy, I can't see," he cries, turning to look up at his father._

_His dad smiles at him and lifts him up onto his shoulders, saying, 'it's okay, son.' Suddenly I don't see them anymore but I see me and my father. I am drawn back to a time long ago. When my father would return home to us I would cry for him, not letting him out of my sight. I'd want him to carry me around, needing to be in his arms. I always missed him so much and he never turned me away, instead every single time he would lift me onto his shoulders while he went about his day. I remember him always telling my mom, 'look what has attached to me' while mom giggled happily. It was just the three of us but it was perfect, we were a family. Everything becomes crystal clear to me and any doubt or selfish feelings I had vanish in that instant. I understand completely what Liam was talking about. There is no more confusion. I can't believe how blind I have been, how stubborn and unmoving but no more because I see it. I see our family._

"_I'm ready," I whisper in his ear, over the fireworks. He inhales sharply as he turns to me._

After the fourth we actively pursued adoption and have spent the past three weeks exploring the various adoption options. There are over forty adoption agencies in Texas and eleven in Houston alone. Liam has filled out all of our applications and forms and submitted them already. They have started the home study which should be completed by next week. I close the file I am working on and lock it in my file cabinet before leaving the office.

Liam has been so excited and eager. He can't wait for us to have a child. I can't either but I think Liam is on another level that probably most people aren't on. As I walk into our home I smile. The house smells wonderful. I glance in the kitchen first and see the food warming on the stove and the table is already set. I then glance in the living room and see him sitting on the couch. His hand is covering his mouth and his brows are furrowed. I walk over and kiss his temple, sitting down next to him.

"What's going on?" I ask confused why his eyes are clued to the television.

"They're running a story on Rock Hudson. He's been admitted to a hospital in Paris," he turns to me, "he has AIDS."

"What? Are you serious?" I ask stunned.

I turn to the set and start watching the report. We had been hearing a lot of talk about a 'gay plague' but Liam and I hadn't worried too much about it because we were monogamous. He was the only man I had ever been with and when all this talk started last year he actually got tested just to be on the safe side. He was negative but was told he would need to be tested again in a few years. Man, I didn't even realize Rock Hudson was gay. I am definitely the most clueless gay man on the planet. I shake my head and stand.

"Come on, babe. Let's eat. I'm hungry," I say, reaching my hand to help him up.

"Do you think this will affect the results of the home study?" he asks concerned as he goes into the kitchen to set our plates.

I grab the wine and start pouring for us, "why would it affect the home study?"

He frowns as he sets the plates on the table, "I don't know," he says sitting down. He picks up his knife and fork. "No one has mentioned AIDS on TV before today and…" he starts cutting his asparagus not finishing his sentence.

"And…" I query.

"And, I'm worried how the media will respond to this. But, we'll see right?" he says looking at me hopeful.

"Let's not worry about something before there is a reason to worry, okay?"

He nods and after swallowing his food he glances at me again, "how was your day? Are you prepared for court tomorrow?"

I smile, "I'm ready for tomorrow. How about you? How was your day?" I ask with a chuckle at how mundane this conversation has turned.

He laughs, "See how normal we are?"

~LoN~

**October 1985**

The next couple of months were horrible. We did our home study. We let them pry into our personal lives, pick through our financial records and run criminal background checks on us, all to have them tell us no. Some didn't give us a reason, others said they had a moral obligation to only place children in male/female homes, while one actually said that due to our lifestyle there was no guarantee we would be around to raise a child, since we were more susceptible to AIDS, being that it was a gay disease and all. Yeah, I'm filing a discrimination suit against those bastards, not that that will help us adopt a child but how dare they deny us on the possibility of us getting AIDS. It's preposterous especially since Liam and I are probably the dullest gay couple in existence. We don't go to gay bars, we don't have best friends that are gay, we don't protest for gay rights and we don't announce our lifestyle to anyone. We go on two trips a year, Ireland in the winter and a weekend jaunt every March. How the hell is that a bad lifestyle? We work and take care of ourselves and if we had a child we would adore him and give him everything he ever wanted.

"Hey baby," I say walking through the door, "sorry, I'm a little late…" I stop when I see him pacing in the room.

"Babe, what's going on?" I ask immediately concerned.

He turns quickly, "Rock Hudson died. They are talking about it on every channel, just tons and tons of reports on him," he grabs his hair and squeezes his eyes shut.

"That's really sad but, ummm, I don't get it, why are you so upset?"

"El, really, you don't get it, this affects us!" he exclaims in frustration.

I shrug still not understanding. He starts pacing again.

"People will go crazy! It will be a field day against gays, people will act like we all have it, that we can _infect_ others, it will be war and we, you and I," he motions his hand between us, "we will be persecuted because of this," he says quickly, his voice tense. He stops pacing and stares at me. "No one will ever approve us. We will never be parents," he says almost in tears. "They will use what happened to deny us."

I approach him and pull him in my arms, "I won't allow that to happen."

"I love you, baby but even the great and powerful Eleazar Whitlock can't prevent what's about to happen," he says nuzzling into my neck. "At this rate we are gonna be eighty by the time we are allowed to have a child," he says sadly.

"Whatever it takes, Liam," I pull his head up and hold his face in my hands. "Whatever it takes!"

He nods and kisses me. I don't know what's going to happen now. There are still a few adoption agencies to go through and then I guess surrogacy is our next option, but that doesn't really sound very appealing to me. It's still a pretty new procedure. I will need to do some research on it because it involves a legally binding contract between the surrogate and the parents but hell, what if she doesn't want to give us the baby afterwards? Would a judge really honor the agreement? I guess we will wait and see what happens with these last two adoption agencies and then decide our next steps.

"Let's eat and go to bed early, okay?" I whisper against his lips. He breathes in deeply and nods.

* * *

**A/N… Yes, things were not as simple back then as they are now. I was nineteen when the news broke of Rock Hudson's death. I am not exaggerating when I say it rocked everyone's world, straight and gay. He was the first celebrity to die of the disease and it brought national attention to the gay community. Suddenly, people became crazy paranoid. No one knew much about it then and rumors spread like wildfire. People thought it was contagious, passed liked the flu. It was a sad, sad time for the gay community who over the next decade experienced some of the worst discrimination to date. I posted some videos on the blog and a news article from October 2, 1985, the day that Rock Hudson died.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So damn, they are trying to have a child in the worst time possible. Of course nothing in life worth having is easy to come by… Michele and Brenda I put a little something, something, in here that was inspired by your dialogue in the playroom, you naughty, naughty, girls (wink, wink)**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

**December 1985**

Glancing at my watch, I shake my head. We are going to be late and his brother will never let me hear the end of it. He walks out of our bathroom and is still fiddling with his jacket. My breath actually hitches and my heart rate accelerates. He is wearing a formal kilt for his cousins wedding and he's simply a vision in it. I swallow as I look him up and down. His strong calves are covered in some sort of long white socks and it appears as if there is a knife at the top, his green kilt has small amounts of blue interspersed along the plaid and he is wearing a crisp black jacket and vest with a formal tuxedo shirt and bow tie.

"Holy shit!" I mutter as my eyes continue to rake him in.

He laughs and my eyes are drawn to his face where a smile is finally back where it belongs. God I have missed that. The past two months have been the worst of our lives. As expected, we were denied by the last two adoption agencies and the doctor we approached about surrogacy advised us that no doctor would approve a procedure for two gay men, not with the recent AIDS epidemic as they won't want to risk the possible transmission of the virus to a child. He was kind about it all and seemed to generally feel bad for us. He suggested that maybe we should wait a few years, until things settled and people knew more about the disease. Liam has been in a funk since then. I know he wants a family of our own, I do too, but he is taking it really hard it seems. I meet his smile and rise to my feet, quickly making my way in front of him.

"You look amazing," I say kissing him softly. "How come you have never worn a kilt for me before?" I ask as my lips hover above his.

I can feel his grin before he kisses me deeply, his tongue circling mine. I grab his ass, pulling him closer to me as I start bunching the kilt up, realizing he has nothing on underneath it. A feral growl escapes my throat as I grip his bare skin, spreading his cheeks and letting my fingers play around his hole as our kiss becomes more primal. Hell, there is absolutely no way I am going to be able to handle him in this all day. I hold him firmly against me as I walk us towards the couch stopping when his ass hits the arm. My hands quickly move to the front of his kilt as my fingers move along his thighs. He grabs my hands in a vain attempt to stop their movement.

"Fuck, El, we're going to be late," he says pulling away from my mouth, completely out of breath.

"Your fault," I say kneeling down and flip his kilt up, exposing his rock hard cock.

He moans and grips my hair as I start nipping up his thighs.

"If I had known that wearing a kilt would garner this kind of response I…"

He lets out a gasp, unable to finish his sentence as I flatten my tongue and move it up the base of his cock, along the prominent vein until I hit his head where I make a pass over the surface, tasting the wetness already present. My eyes move to his, which are dark with want and his lips are slightly parted. I smile around his tip while he throws his head back, giving up all attempts at stopping me. I take him inside my mouth, savoring every ridge on his beautiful cock as it pulses around my tongue. Allowing my tongue several long strides around him, I abruptly pull off. Placing my hands on his thighs I rest my mouth just over his head, waiting for him to take control. He emits a loud carnal moan as he grips my hair tightly and pushes my head down on his cock.

"El, oh God, fuck, yes," he stutters and pants as he continues to fuck my mouth.

He starts moving me faster and faster, while grunting and panting, and cursing in rasping breaths. I squeeze his thighs tightly; tight enough that I know I am probably going to leave marks but I don't care and I know he doesn't either. His grunting begins to escalate as he increases the pace, hitting the back of my throat over and over until he finally screams out. His grip on my hair tightens, holding me in place as his come hits the back of my throat. I swallow it hungrily causing him to whimper and gasp for air while he comes some more. He finally releases his hold on my hair and tries to catch his breath as I suck him dry. When I pull away from him I make one final lick over his slit before resting back on my haunches. He looks down lovingly and motions for me to stand.

"Thank you, baby, that was unexpected but… fantastic," he says kissing me.

"I have missed that," I say, tracing my thumb over his smiling lips.

He glances down, "I know, I'm sorry."

"I understand," I say kissing his forehead. "I just miss seeing that beautiful smile of yours."

He glances at me, "Did you know that there are thousands of children born in Texas every day that need good and loving homes," he takes a deep breath. "We're a good and loving home, aren't we?"

I grab his face, "of course we are and you know what, maybe we need to consider international adoptions, I bet other countries aren't as rigid as the US. We could be like that singer you like," he scrunches his brows together in confusion. "You know the one who moved to Paris and adopted all those kids."

He grins, "Josephine Baker?"

I laugh, "yeah, her."

He leans in and kisses me softly, "you're nuts sometimes but I love you. Thank you." He stands and starts playing with his kilt, "let me fix this and then we better head out. I'm going to have to drive like you to get there in time," he says with a wink.

.

.

.

The wedding has been a blast. Boy, these Irish Catholics sure know how to have some fun. As was expected Patrick keeps teasing me because we were late. Unfortunately, he keeps telling everyone I couldn't handle the power of the kilt. I nearly choked on my whiskey when he said that as part of his toast while Liam stood and bowed graciously, already a bit tipsy. Later, Margaret nudged me and told me she understood completely, that the O'Reilly men were exquisite when they were all dolled up. Other than that, things have been going rather smoothly. Liam seems happy which makes me happy.

"Let's dance," Siobhan says, coming up next to me.

"Um, sure," I reply glancing at Liam who smiles.

"He's happy tonight," she says matter-of-factly.

"I know, it's nice," I reply, spinning us so I can still watch him.

"He told me what the doctor said," she says looking at me. "What are you going to do?"

I sigh, "I don't know, maybe try for an international adoption."

She stops dancing and looks to the ground, "He's already hurting." She then looks up and there are tears in her eyes, "What makes you think that will work when all the other adoption agencies have said no?"

"I don't know what else to do. I can't change how people think. I can't make someone want to be artificially inseminated for us."

"What about, you know, just doing it naturally, you've had sex with women before. I don't think Liam could do it. He's never been with a woman, but you could," she says quickly.

There is no masking the look of shock on my face. Did his sister just suggest I have sex with someone and basically knock her up? My hand goes through my hair and I glance at Liam who is watching us with concern. I take her in my arms and start dancing again, not wanting to draw any more attention to us.

"I don't think I could do it anymore. Women don't arouse me and even if I could I am sure Liam would not want me having sex with a stranger just so we could have a child."

"What if it isn't a stranger?" she asks so softly I barely hear her.

I am really confused now because honestly the only woman Liam and I both know is Carmen and there is no way in hell he would approve of me fucking her again. She stops dancing once more and takes a deep breath before glancing at her brother. He smiles at her and then tilts his head to the side in confusion. I hear her say _I love you_ in his direction and he smiles brightly and mouths _I love you, too_. He then looks at me and I shrug my shoulders just as she turns back around.

"I will be your surrogate," she says decisively.

I actually stumble back slightly, "What?"

"I'll be the surrogate for you and my brother," she says with more conviction.

"What's going on?" Liam asks approaching us, looking between her determined face and my dumbstruck expression.

"I have a solution," she says to him.

"A solution? To what exactly?" Liam asks hesitantly.

"Let's go somewhere private," I urge. "I don't want to talk about this at all but if we are going to then let's leave because I certainly don't want to do it here."

"Yes, we should leave," she says with purpose.

Liam stares at me and I am pale, I know it. Honestly, I have no idea how he is going to respond to this because I am freaking out right now at the thought of it. Soon we are all on our way and she has driven us back to the hotel. As we enter the suite I immediately go to the mini bar and pull out the little bottle of Jameson and down it quickly. She takes Liam's hand and leads him to the sofa and motions for me as well. I sit down in the chair next to them.

"I can't stand to see you so unhappy," she starts as she faces Liam.

"I'm sorry," he kisses her cheek. "It's just been a hard few months but I'm okay, really."

"No, you are not. You haven't been for a while, since the first rejection letter."

"Sis," he starts to say but she shakes her head.

"Let me finish. I have been thinking and praying for months about this and have a solution," she glances at me as I uncomfortably cross my legs again, she then turns back to Liam. "I know it seems a bit odd and trust me, it is odd for me as well, but it's the only thing that makes sense."

"You are starting to scare me, sis. You have that crazy look in your eyes. What are thinking?" Liam asks.

She grabs his hands and looks him deeply in the eyes, "Let me be your surrogate. We are twins, I can carry your child and he will be yours and El's physically and emotionally."

His mouth opens and closes several times before words finally come out, "The doctors won't do it. They said no one would approve it."

"We don't need their approval to do it naturally," she says, arching her brows just marginally.

His face contorts slightly as realization sets in, she squeezes his hands and forces him to look at her, "we could try using the turkey baster thing but it isn't as effective as the process sort of mess's things up, the sperm don't swim as good. I have been talking to my doctor about it for a month now and have been tracking my…"

He shakes his head; his eyes squeezed shut, "you want…" He swallows thickly, "you want El to have sex with you?"

She sighs, "No, I want to give you a child with O'Reilly blood in him," she touches his face. "Let me help you, brother."

He turns to me with this lost look on his face. My arms outstretch towards him, automatically needing him close. He comes without hesitation, burying his head in my neck. I entangle my hand in his hair as I lay a soft kiss a top his head. After a moment he looks up at me.

"What do you think?"

"I love you and will do whatever it takes, remember? But there are other options." I say.

"How viable are those options, El? And please don't sugar coat it for me," he says, sitting on the coffee table in front of me.

"I don't know, baby. People can't seem to get passed their fear, maybe in a few years it will be different," I say sadly.

"Or maybe it will be worse," he says with a hint of anger.

I shrug, "it could be."

"Do you want to have sex with her?" he says, his face straining on the words.

"No, I want to have sex with you but I will have sex with her if that's what will give us a child, but I won't do that without you being 100% okay with it."

He closes his eyes and leans down, while his hands lock behind his neck. I get on the floor in front of him, placing my hands on his knees. He doesn't move right away and I can tell he is crying. I run my hands up his arms and force his head up slightly where I start kissing him tenderly. I caress his face lovingly and swipe my thumb under his eyes.

"We'll find another way."

He shakes his head, "there isn't another way. This is our best chance." He sits up straight, "God is giving us an opportunity. He's opening a door for us, El. We'd be stupid to close it."

"Are you sure about this?" I ask.

"Whatever it takes," he mutters as he kisses me.

* * *

**A/N… so ummm, yeah, I didn't think you all needed to see them go through the process. Talk about awkward but still she had a point, no one was approving these types of procedures for same sex couples. Hope you all liked the kilt loving, inspired by the playroom naughtiness of Michele and Brenda, love ya ladies :-)**

**And don't forget to check out the blog, my girl amandac3 made me an AWESOME manip of Liam in a kilt...YOWZA!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So, hmmm, yes, that should make reunions a bit interesting.**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

**February 1986**

We are out celebrating at one of our favorite restaurants because Siobhan is pregnant. Thank God! I don't know if she got pregnant from the actual sex or my bottled sperm but it happened. That was literally the strangest trip to Ireland to date. I did have sex with Siobhan, a few times, okay three to be exact and all three times were awkward and horrible. Not her fault of course because she is a beautiful woman but it's just that, she's a woman and once that light went on for me no one else would ever do but Liam. So we had to be creative because her lying naked in bed was having the opposite effect for me. If it wasn't so important to Liam and me it would have been comical the efforts it took for me to keep my dick hard. So we looked at it very strategically. She kept most of her clothes on, there was no kissing, and I always did her doggie style, of course, I almost slipped into the wrong hole once. Definitely not one of my finer moments, that's for sure. Once we were done on those three occasions she cleaned up and left and Liam would fuck me like a mad man. I don't know if it was out of fear that somehow I was going to remember vaginas and decide that was what I wanted or what but he was a bit aggressive. I didn't mind though. I actually like it when he gets fired up like that. And then in between all of that fucking we were collecting my sperm. Now, that part Liam actually enjoyed. Of course the first time he forgot he wasn't supposed to swallow. Yeah, old habits die hard. So we left Ireland hoping that Siobhan had conceived and if she hadn't, she had enough of my sperm in her freezer to try artificial insemination for several months. Yes, the most interesting week of my life. This morning she called with the official confirmation that she was indeed pregnant, tentative due date, September 27th, 1986.

"What are you thinking about?" Liam asks across from me.

"Our week in Ireland," I say taking a sip of my wine, trying not to laugh.

"Hmm, which part," he says with an arch of his brow.

I slip my shoe off and bring my toes across his thigh until I reach his crotch where I wiggle them against his expanding manhood. I love the expression on his face as his cock responds to the call. Grinning mischievously as I sip my wine, I start massaging his cock with the ball of my foot. His tongue passes over his lips as he tries to gain his composure.

"You're being very naughty, El," he swallows. "Not sure that is very professional of you," he adds with a sexy smirk as he takes a deep breath.

I increase my ministrations, "well, I believe I'm off the clock."

"Oh God," he moans softly and then suddenly sits up straight and slaps my foot down.

Before I can ask what's wrong I hear Mr. Montgomery, "Eleazar, so good to see you out of the office for a change." He then turns to the gentleman to his side, "Bill, this is one of my boys, Mr. Whitlock. Best defense attorney in Texas."

"Whitlock, huh, you any relation to Joseph Whitlock?" he asks.

I swallow and nod, "That's my grandfather, sir."

He laughs, "Well, I'll be damned, what do you know about that." He then gets this wide cheesy smile, "wait a minute, you're William's boy aren't you?" he asks with a chuckle and then turns to Mr. Montgomery, pretending to whisper in his ear. "It was quite the scandal, his daddy ran off with the maid," he whispers loud enough that I hear him.

Mr. Montgomery's smile fades and he gives me an apologetic look when he sees the expression on my face which I am sure is a cross from being murderous and well, murderous. How dare he defend my racist grandfather? My whole body tenses and I am just about to say something when Mr. Montgomery recognizes Liam sitting across from me and quickly intervenes.

"Mr. O'Reilly, what brings you back to Houston?" he says shifting attention away from me.

"I live here now," he reaches in his jacket pocket and pulls out a business card. "Couldn't get enough of Houston and just had to move here," he says with one of his breathtaking smiles.

Mr. Montgomery nods and slaps his friend on the back, "This is Mr. O'Reilly. He helped straighten out a bit of a mess we were in a few years back." He then looks at Liam, "Let me introduce you to the former, oh hell, soon to be again, governor of the great state of Texas, Mr. Bill Clements."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Liam says offering his hand.

"Republican, son?" he asks with a crooked grin.

Liam smiles, "Well, I don't generally vote, sir, still pretty new to the politics of this country."

"Don't let those liberal democrats try to sway you, the prosperity of…"

Thankfully the waitress brings out our food and sets our plates in front of us which stops Mr. Clements from giving what I am sure would have been a riveting speech on his campaign platform. I pick up the bottle of wine and touch the waitress's hand, halting her movement before I turn to Mr. Clements with a plastered on smile.

"Can I offer you some wine?" I ask swallowing the bile in my throat.

Mr. Clements smiles. "No, no, enjoy your meal gentlemen. I need to make the rounds," he says with a politicians grin.

As soon as they are gone Liam chuckles as he begins cutting his salmon, "well, that sure was fun."

I am still watching Mr. Clements walk away, hating myself for not defending my father and mother and their love. For not saying that my dear old grandfather abandoned his flesh and blood because of who my mother was and that he left his own grandson with absolutely nothing. My dad was an honorable man and a good father, nothing like my grandfather.

"So, you still got that shoe off?" Liam asks sexily, drawing my attention away from Mr. Clements.

When I turn to him, he tilts his head to the side slightly and raises his brow, the tip of his fork tapping his bottom lip playfully. I smirk and bring my foot back up, letting my toes once again work up and down the bulge begging for attention.

~LoN~

"Faster, El, fucking faster," he pants.

"No," I slap his ass as I pump into him again. "I don't want to come yet," I say between ragged breaths as I pull out slowly and then push in again.

We have been going at it for hours already. We have both come once, earlier, but I am milking this second one, I get close and then I pull away, stopping myself. Siobhan is moving in tomorrow and I have it in my crazy head that we won't be able to have sex that often which he says is ridiculous but I am not so sure. Liam and I have done it on pretty much every surface of the condo. I want to fuck him constantly and love seeing him walk around in nothing but boxers so the thought of having someone else in the house which would hinder that is a little stressful for me. I suppose that it's good practice for when the baby arrives but still. So my plan is to fuck him all damn night, or at least as long as I can.

"El," he pants, "kiss me, baby."

He turns his head towards me and my mouth is on him in an instant. We are kissing sloppily, loudly, barely catching our breath as our bodies, wet with sweat, slide against each other. I instinctually start thrusting faster earning a hearty moan around my tongue. Nope, not yet baby. I pull all the way out and he groans, rather loudly, before I roll him on his back. His entire body is flushed while his head lulls back. Bringing my hands to his face I hold his cheeks while my tongue attacks his mouth. He whimpers as I release his face and start kissing down his neck while my hand starts working his cock, wanting him fired up again. I reposition myself and rub our cocks together which garners the response I want.

"Fuck," he groans and shifts his hips.

"Sit up, baby," I order and with half closed lids he does as I say; a sexy half smile on his face.

I reach for the water bottle on the nightstand and twist the top off, he drinks half and I finish it off before kissing him and repositioning our bodies. He is elevated slightly above me while my feet rest underneath the gap in the headboard. He outstretches his arms and holds on to the headboard as I plant each of his feet on the bed next to me. I bring him down on my waiting cock and he throws his head back, biting on his lip hard while grunting loudly. I raise him just above my cock and smile.

"Hold this position," I say watching his head nod absently.

I grasp the top of the headboard and lean back before thrusting up, entering him roughly. His eyes open and his pupils darken exponentially. I smirk as I lower my hips and then thrust again, getting the same reaction.

"That feels good, doesn't it, baby?" I ask, arrogant as hell because based on the feral look on his face I know he likes it.

He nods crazily, making a weird groaning noise before he finds his voice, "I need you to fuck me hard, El," he says gripping the headboard tightly, holding his position.

"You got it," I grunt as I thrust in again.

I'm not sure what's more difficult, him holding the position or me thrusting at the angle I am in. Either way, it feels like heaven. We continue on this relentless pace, me thrusting wildly, his arms flexing as he holds himself still. Our lascivious panting and cursing echoes through the room, like some wild porn movie until I can't hold off any longer and with one final thrust, I explode within him. I start making shallow and frantic movements until my body drops, I'm completely out of breath and spent. Obviously getting his second, or is it his third wind, Liam is on top of me positioning his cock for entry.

"My turn," he says wickedly as he pushes inside me.

.

.

.

I glance in my rearview mirror at Liam and Siobhan in the back seat. He has his hand on her stomach and is smiling like a child on Christmas morning. We both are exhausted, having only slept a few hours before we needed to shower and get to the airport. But, that marathon we had last night was well worth the aches and pains we are both feeling right now. Siobhan doesn't have many things with her as we are supplying everything she could possibly need. The family in Ireland has been extremely supportive of what Siobhan is doing. Of course they don't know that she and I actually had sex, they believe it was all through artificial insemination. We figured it was better that way. My family, well, Bobby is happy but mom, she still won't answer my calls. It's been almost four years, you would think she would have let it go by now.

"Siobhan, do you want to stop anywhere before we get to the condo?" I ask, needing to shift my train of thought.

"No, thank you, El, I'm okay, I ate on the plane."

Liam frowns, "well, that won't work. I will cook for us when we get to the house and then we can make a list for the store."

She smiles and touches his face, "I love you, brother but I am pregnant, not incapable of tending to myself. I don't need you fetching things for me."

I chuckle, "Good luck with that, you better watch it or he will be carrying you everywhere."

Liam leans forward and runs his hand up the nape of my neck, "very funny."

I tilt my head slightly and he gives me a quick peck before sitting back down and taking his sisters hand.

"We have arranged for the best OB/GYN to see you Monday morning. El and I are both able to take the morning off so we will be there with you. One or both of us will be at all your appointments, sis..."

I smile as Liam gives Siobhan the rundown of everything that we have planned. He has already baby proofed our house which is rather funny considering she isn't even past the first trimester but that's the way he is. He has also stocked up on everything, from baby bottles to diapers to hell; I don't know what half the things are he has already bought. He actually wanted to get the baby's room together but I had to put my foot down on that one. I convinced him to wait until we at least knew the baby's sex before he started color coordinating the room. He reluctantly agreed but still came home with an assortment of baby items. It should be an interesting nine months. I'm not even sure I will try to contain him as I am sure it will be a futile attempt.

~LoN~

Siobhan has been here a week now. At first I was a little worried it would be strange being around her but it really hasn't. She treats me the same way she did before and when I look at her I don't feel anything other than respect and love for the woman who is carrying my child. I don't think about her in any sort of romantic way and based on our interactions neither does she. Our first doctors visit went really well, although, it took much longer then needed because the staff were not sure how to do things. The practice had never been a part of a surrogacy birth before. The office manager had some concerns related to the legal ramifications of it all which required us to consult with their attorney, Mr. Kraft. Needless to say, that was an interesting meeting.

_We have spent the last twenty minutes talking to him about the legality of the situation. Suddenly, recognition sets in. He is staring at the three of us and his eyes widen as he realizes I am gay and not here as legal representation. He and I have not had much contact with one another but we have met at a few functions and I know that he knows who I am as well as my reputation. I narrow my eyes at him and he tenses somewhat._

"_Should any of this information be leaked I will have you disbarred, no questions asked and once I am finished requesting a formal inquiry I will file a defamation of character suit against you and your firm," I say coolly, "My personal life is just that, personal, do I make myself clear?"_

"_Of course, Mr. Whitlock," he says, "your secret is safe with me."_

"_It better be," I say leaning back slightly._

_I glance at Liam and smirk while Mr. Kraft starts shuffling his papers._

"Mr. Whitlock, Ms. Ramirez is here to see you. She doesn't have an appointment but…" Sophie says over my intercom, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"That's fine Sophie, let her in." I say.

I meet Carmen at the door. She looks beautiful as always but her eyes are red.

"Is everything alright?" I ask as I go around my desk and sit down while she sits in one of the chairs in front of me.

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?' I ask confused.

"Are you and Liam having a… baby?"

How the hell did she find out so soon? I get up and walk around to the front of the desk, leaning against it. She looks to the ground and I can see her chest heaving slightly.

"Yes, we are. His sister is our surrogate."

She isn't saying anything, just sitting there breathing in deeply. I don't understand why she's here. What does she want?

"I could have given you a child," she finally mutters.

Okay, now I get it. I realize what she wants and as I watch her I feel a bit sad. This isn't the Carmen I know, the confident take no prisoners girl that actually stood up to Liam and then sat with him to plan my life. Shit! I kneel down and take her hands in mine.

"I'm sorry, Carmen. I really am but you know that's not what I wanted with you. I thought you understood."

She takes a deep breath and sits up, scrunching her brows together.

"I do, Eleazar. I guess maybe there is still a little part of me that…" she stops and shakes her head. "You know, I'm," she nods and breathes in again, "I'm really happy for the two of you."

I smile and kiss her on the cheek, "Thank you."

"If you need help with anything, will you call me?" She asks and I smirk.

"I am sure Liam has everything under control. In fact, he's already baby proofed the house," I say with a laugh, "but thanks for the offer.

She kisses me on the cheek, "Goodbye, Eleazar."

As I watch her walk out of the office I can't help but wonder if it is goodbye for good this time. Has she finally given up on the idea that we could somehow be together? I sure hope so. I care about her but I will never love her. My heart belongs to Liam.

* * *

**A/N… yes, siree, so a pregnant Siobhan is now in the states and a sweet little bundle of joy is on the way… on a side note, I mean no disrespect to the late Mr. Clements. I have no idea who he is, just read his bio and used some creative license based on the facts I did have. He was governor for the state of Texas from 1979-1983 and then again from 1987-1991. And yes, poor long suffering Carmen, I need to marry the poor girl off so she can stop pining for Eleazar and what could have been :-)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So, now that she's officially knocked up, let's get this ball a moving**

* * *

**Chapter 22**

**April 1986**

"_Eleazer, shit man, your mom's freaking out, have you been here all night?" Bobby asks coming up to me. "What the fuck are you doing, are you okay?"_

_I don't say anything but continue to pick the grass around dad's headstone. I have been here all night. In truth I am hungry and cold but I haven't wanted to move. I had another nightmare last night and found myself here._

"_I don't remember him anymore. I don't remember what he looks like, what his voice sounds like. I thought if I came here, maybe I would, I don't know, remember, but I don't," I look up; my eyes are red and sore because I have been crying all night. "It's like he never existed."_

_Bobby sighs and looks around, bringing his hands over his slicked back hair. He is in his typical attire, white t-shirt tucked into insanely creased black pants, black shoes, and black leather belt. Finally he sits down next to me, frowning when he realizes the grass around the grave is wet._

"_He existed, Eleazar, and hell, I don't remember my old man either. I think that's normal, how can you be expected to remember someone who died when you were two," he says getting up and crouching in front of me like all his friends do._

_"I dreamed about it again," I say looking down,"He killed him," I mumble._

_He rolls his eyes, he's heard my theories more than he would like. He knows that I believe that my grandpa had my father killed. That he did something to spook those cattle when my dad wasn't aware. The coroner said it was an accident but I don't believe it._ _Dad was a cowboy and had been around cattle his entire life. He would never have done anything to spook them that badly and he would have been attuned to everything around him._

"_It was an accident."_

_I shake my head, "He killed him. I know he did."_

"_Eleazar, you need to let that shit go and take your ass home. Your mom is a fucking mess right now, but don't you fucking tell her you slept at your daddy's grave, that will freak her out more," he stands and helps me up, locking eyes with me, "your father's dead, you can't change that and I'm sorry you don't remember shit about him but fuck, you have a mom that worships the mother fucking ground you walk on and right now you need to put her before yourself."_

I startle awake, blinking my eyes several times. Liam is sound asleep so I slip out of the bed and snatch the phone off the cradle, tip toeing out of our bedroom. When I was younger I had a recurring nightmare that I was watching my father being killed. The police and the coroner had said that he was trampled in a freak accident at the ranch but I never bought that explanation. I would argue with my mother and anyone who would listen why I didn't think so and on one of those occasions my uncle joked that I should become an attorney because I liked to argue so much. Either way, in my nightmares I am always watching, unable to move, unable to help, unable to stop it. It tortured me until college. I haven't thought about it in a long time and I'm not sure why I thought about it now. I pick up the phone and dial.

"_Hello?"_

_I can feel tears already threatening, "Mom, it's me."_

_There is silence, a loud deafening silence._

"_Please don't hang up," I say, my voice cracking, "You used to tell me that Dads family didn't come around because their eyes couldn't see me, that I was too pure and bright," I can hear her crying, "I always knew that wasn't true but it made you feel better so I didn't say anything. I knew though, I knew why they didn't want to have anything to do with me. They hated me because I was a product of you and dad, they didn't accept you and they didn't accept your love so they rejected me, their own grandchild," I say quickly, trying desperately to control my emotions, "Please mom," I swallow thickly as my eyes sting from the tears beckoning, "I… We just found out that we're having a boy. Mom, I'm having a son. I… I don't want him to go through what I went through, I don't want to have to lie to him about why his grandma doesn't want to be around," I gasp out in a breath, "Mom, I need you in my life, your grandson will need you in his, please, talk to me," I say finally allowing the tears to fall._

She doesn't say anything and neither do I. I crouch down slightly, pulling my arm over my stomach, trying to control the pain I feel inside. She's all I have and she is rejecting me like my dad's family did her. Is this what she felt as well? Will my child feel what I felt growing up? We both continue to cry for a long time until I feel a hand gently caressing my back. Unable to contain myself, I lean into him as his arms encase me in warmth. A soft kiss is placed atop my head but no words are said as none are needed.

"_Te amo, mamá," I say and just before I hang up I hear it._

"_Mijo, don't go," she whispers through her own tears. _

~LoN~

Thankfully my mother and I have been talking pretty regularly. That first night in April, Liam had held me while I talked to her. It was as if she and I had reached a point where we could no longer go on the way we had been. The three of us, Liam, Siobhan, and I, went to visit her that following day. She was extremely thin and somehow worn out, older than her years. My Tia had told me that she was acting like she had when my father died. At first I was angry, until she explained that it wasn't that she thought I was dead but that her turning her back on me had tortured her. But if she had felt that badly she should have picked up the phone and answered one of my many calls, but I'm not going to hold that against her. I already lost my father; I won't lose my mother as well. For the past two months we have taken to visiting every weekend. Of course, we haven't had much of a choice. Siobhan craves Mexican food and not just anything, she wants it hot, the hotter the better. This boy is going to breathe fire when he's born.

Things have improved considerably with my family and everyone has come to accept Liam and me together so much so that when we came over for Mother's Day we held hands and even kissed once and no one said a word. No one looked at us funny and suddenly it felt comfortable like it always is when we are visiting Liam's family. Now, Siobhan, they all loved immediately, especially Bobby. I think he has a bit of a crush on her although when I teased him about it he said he didn't and then proceeded to tell me to fuck off. He definitely likes her but then again he has always been a boob man and I have to admit Siobhan has really nice breasts even more so now that she is approaching the third trimester.

Even on the Carmen front things appear to have settled. There was a brief couple of days that everything was a little tense. After Carmen left my office that week after Siobhan arrived I panicked a bit, wondering if somehow my situation was leaked so I called her. It turned out that her friend Maria was pregnant and saw me with Siobhan coming out of Dr. Jensen's office. She called Carmen wanting to gossip about seeing me with a woman that must be pregnant since we were coming out of an OB's office. Apparently Dr. Jensen is her OB as well. Funny thing was she didn't notice Liam was there as well and I didn't see her at all. Liam and I had discussed it extensively. He didn't like that she had come to see me as we haven't really had any contact with her in a very long time. But he was happy that it sounded as if she was resolved now regarding her and I and ready to move on. Unfortunately I was stressed, unsure how to do subsequent appointments with Siobhan. I really didn't want things out there. In the end we decided that either Liam or I would arrive and leave separately so that we weren't all three seen together. He didn't like that but thankfully wasn't willing to fight with me about it. I am honestly really starting to wonder what the hell I'm going to do when the baby is born. I don't want to do things separately. I want us to do everything together, as a family. I have a lot to consider and only a few more months before a decision has to be made.

Today is Father's Day and my mother and I did something we haven't done in a long time. We went to my father's grave. When I was younger we used to go there and bring him his favorite food and pray but I haven't done it since I went away to college. It was very soothing to do so now. To tell him I was going to be a father and that I hoped my son would love me as much as I loved him. By the time we returned to the house mom and I were emotionally drained but also renewed if that makes sense at all. When we arrived back at the house we all ate, especially Siobhan, who never seems to tire of eating. We are now lounging around the living room and people are talking about random things happening but I am only thinking about Liam and the family we will soon have. He is watching Siobhan who is laughing and visiting with my Tia's who have fawned all over her since the day they met. Once the initial questions with how she 'became' pregnant were answered they have treated her exceptionally well. In fact, every time we leave we come back home with enough food to last several days. I lean over and kiss Liam's temple, gently tracing my fingers along his face. He turns and smiles as he takes my hand in his.

"Should we tell them?" he asks and I smile, nodding slightly.

"Tell us what?" Bobby asks, immediately concerned as he looks at Siobhan and then us.

"We decided on the name," I squeeze Liam's hand and nod, encouraging him to say.

He turns to everyone, "Jasper William Whitlock."

Mom brings her hand to her mouth and I turn to her. Her eyes are watering and my Tia's are rubbing her shoulders.

"William, after dad since he gave up everything for love and Jasper because," I turn to Liam.

"That's where we said 'I love you' for the first time," he finishes looking directly at me.

We hear the women oohing and then a snort coming from Bobby's direction. Without breaking eye contact with Liam I pick up the throw pillow and fire it directly at him. Hearing him fall off his chair, I laugh, while Liam grins. Within seconds Bobby is up and laughing and then the next thing I know I am pulled off the couch and he is wrestling with me. My mom and Tia's are yelling at us in Spanish and I can hear Liam's laughter in the background. After a few minutes my uncle breaks us up and I scoot back against the couch between Liam's legs.

"You two are adults, stop acting like teenagers," my Tia says shaking her head.

"You should see the chaos at our house when all the boys get together, I don't think they'll ever grow up," Siobhan interjects and then laughs.

Liam chuckles and starts to gently play with the hair at the nape of my neck and I immediately want to get lost in him. In spite of my initial fears about Siobhan being at our home we have had no problems, especially in the sex department. We have learned to keep it down and restrict our love making to the bedroom or shower but that has been the only adjustment. I glance up at him only to meet his loving gaze.

"It's a beautiful name, Mijo," mom says breaking me out of my trance.

~LoN~

"What are you doing, babe?" I ask, walking into Jasper's nursery.

Liam runs his hand along the crib railing, "It's going to happen today," he says as I wrap my arms around his waist.

"How do you know?" I ask, kissing down his neck.

"I can feel it, Siobhan's close," he replies, tilting his head slightly as my mouth lingers against his skin.

I have learned over the course of the past seven months that he and Siobhan have some freaky twin thing going on. He always knows something is going to happen before it happens. As the months progressed I found that they often complete each other's sentences and once I came home late and he had fallen asleep in her bed. That was a little weird but when he came to bed with me he said she had been crying and was missing home. She had never been away from Ireland for more than a few weeks so a few months proved to be difficult for her. But that only lasted for a short time.

"My water broke," we hear from the door and I glance at Liam who is smiling.

We both turn at the same time and immediately take action. Liam grabs her bag which has been packed and ready for a few days while I help Siobhan to the door. The minute we get to the hospital she is whisked away to the private room I arranged for her because I didn't want anyone else in there with her and my child.

"Ms. O'Reilly, Dr. Jensen is on his way."

Siobhan nods as Liam and I go on each side of her. She grabs my hand in one of hers and Liam's in the other. She looks between the two of us, a determined expression on her face.

"Just in case Dr. Jensen doesn't get here in time whatever anyone else might say, you both need to be with me," she then turns to me, "I know you have concerns about what that Mary Beth woman did but I won't do that. Jasper is yours and my brother's child. I will be his aunt, that's it," she has tears in her eyes as do I; "I would never take him from the two of you."

I lean down and kiss her lightly on the lips, "thank you," I cry.

I wasn't aware she knew about that as I briefly mentioned it to Liam six months ago. This was all so new then and although my heart trusted her, my head said, you never know. I am sure that the Sterns trusted Mary Beth Whitehead as well and that turned out bad. Liam reaches his free hand to cup my face and leans over her to kiss me. He knows I have a tendency to go to worst case scenarios; it is a gift as an attorney because I am rarely caught by surprise. It's not so good in my personal life. Thank God he is so level headed and calm.

"Ms. O'Reilly, gentlemen," Dr. Jensen says, walking inside the room.

Liam and I really like Dr. Jensen. He has turned out to be a powerful ally for us. The hospital tried to argue that Liam and I couldn't both be in the delivery room with Siobhan but he petitioned the chief of staff to make an exception which he did. He has told us on countless occasions that he is impressed with our dedication to Siobhan and our desire to be a part of everything. She has done nothing by herself. I have missed a few things, unable to get out of a few court appearances, but Liam has been there through it all.

"Well, Ms. O'Reilly, it looks like you are fully dilated," he says with a smile and turns to the nurse, "We will deliver in here," he then turns back to the three of us while the nurse is gathering several items, "She is too far along to move her and…"

He is unable to finish his sentence as Siobhan arches and screeches, squeezing both mine and Liam's hands so hard I think she might have actually broken my fingers. Everything after that seems to happen quickly but in slow motion at the same time. The doctor is talking but I can't understand anything he's saying, there is just pain in my hand from Siobhan, screaming because it was too late to give her meds and then… crying.

"Is he okay?" Liam calls out bringing me to the here and now.

"Is our son alright?" I ask standing.

The nurse turns and smiles and a few moments later they bring him to us. She hands him to Siobhan who kisses him on the forehead while Liam walks to my side of the bed where the nurse has lowered the railing. Siobhan smiles at Jasper.

"Jasper, you are so lucky. You have two very special daddies. They will take extra special care of you and love you so much," she then gazes at the two of us, tears streaking her cheeks as she places a bundled up Jasper in Liam's arms.

Liam's entire face lights up, as he is overcome with happiness and the love that only a father can know. He slowly turns to me, "El, he's perfect."

I nod, unable to form any words as I too am overwhelmed with feelings. Jasper turns his head to me and I know it isn't possible, but, I swear that he smiles at me and my heart is filled with more love than I ever thought possible.

"Te amo, hijo," I say reverently as I lean down and kiss him softly.

* * *

**A/N… Ahhh, little Jasper. For those who are not familiar, the infamous Baby M case occurred March 1986. The case centered around Mary Beth Whitehead who after giving birth decided that she wanted to keep the baby and wouldn't relinquish her parental rights as agreed upon. The New Jersey courts ruled that surrogacy contracts were invalid and told family court to decide who the baby should be with, family court awarded full custody to the father with parental visiting rights to the mother. The case would later be brought to the Supreme Court where it validated the surrogacy contract but the idea of surrogacy has remained a very controversial topic. Alright everyone go check out the blog as ****I have added a few photos of just beautiful pictures of little ones as well as another manip by my wonderful beta amandac3 *sigh***

**Spanish Translation:  
****Te amo, mamá – I love you, mom  
****Te amo, hijo – I love you, son**


	23. Chapter 23

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Ahhh, little Jasper has entered the world *sigh***

* * *

**Chapter 23**

"Are you tired?" I ask, resting my hand atop his on the crib railing.

He shakes his head, "he sleeps so peacefully, doesn't he?"

I smile as I look at Jasper. "He does," I say as my other arm wraps around Liam's waist. "I think he's gonna look like you."

He chuckles, "his hair is lighter than mine."

"It will darken," I say as I run my hand up his back and through the back of his hair.

He hums softly, "Are my folks in bed?"

"Yeah," I reply as I gently kiss down his neck.

I entwine my fingers with his as he tilts his head slightly allowing me unrestricted access to his neck. Sucking his flesh into my mouth, I nibble and then kiss his reddened skin before moving to a spot lower, laying soft pecks along the way.

"That feels good," he sighs.

Today is Jasper's first night home with us. Siobhan stayed with him in the hospital for a couple of days but didn't want to come back to the house when they were released this afternoon. I was a little worried about that, concerned that maybe she was having second thoughts but she indicated she wasn't. She told us that she wanted Liam and me to bond with him exclusively, that we were his parents. That made sense but I think she really wants to distance herself. Liam was disappointed but it was probably for the best. His parents are staying with us right now so they can spend as much time with Jasper as they can, and the rest of the family, Siobhan included, are staying in several suites at the Marriott near our home.

"Let's go to bed," I murmur against his skin.

He nods and takes my hand as he leads me out of the nursery. As soon as we enter our room I am kissing him, my hands roaming his body with purpose. We have been sleeping at the hospital the last few days, neither of us wanting to leave Jasper but I desperately need to be connected with him. I miss touching him. I miss his hands on me and mostly I miss having his body against mine when we sleep. His nimble fingers quickly unbutton my shirt and then work on my pants.

"We have to be really quiet, El," he says pulling away from me. I smirk and he gets a serious expression on his face as he starts to pull his shirt up, "I mean it El, my parents can't hear us fucking."

I grab his hands that are raised above his head, stopping his movement and hold him in place as I start kissing along his chest, letting my tongue pass over his nipple. He moans as I nip and tug on it before moving to the other one and doing the same thing. His chest heaves as I push him back where he falls on the bed, his hands still above his head, entangled in the arms of his shirt. I make quick work of unbuttoning his jeans, grabbing his cock in my hands and earning another desperate moan from him. Crawling over his body, I allow my lips to hover over his mouth, feeling the heat of his breath on me.

"I'm not the one that can't be quiet," I say with another smirk.

He moans again and unleashes his arms, entwining his hands in my hair as he pulls my mouth to his, kissing me eagerly. We have gotten real good over the last several months, keeping our noise level down but apparently you can still hear us in the spare room. At least that is what Siobhan said once. Since then we have tried our best to contain the sounds we emit during sex but really that is nearly impossible. Suddenly he pulls away from me and jumps out of the bed.

"Where are you going?" I ask, flustered.

He brings his finger to his mouth to tell me to _shhh_ and soon the smooth sounds of Stanley Jordan are playing in the background, blocking out all noise as he strolls back to me, letting his jeans and boxers drop to the floor on his way. God! He's so fucking perfect. He licks his lips seductively and my cock bounces in response, giving him just the reaction he was wanting. He pushes me on my back, tweaking my nipples in the process before kneeling down. He gives me that sexy smirk that says,_ I own you, baby_, before his tongue swipes around my tip. A low moan escapes my throat as my hips buck up slightly, wanting more.

"What were you saying about me being the one who can't keep quiet?" he asks, letting his tongue play with my slit, garnering another deep moan from me.

I smile as his mouth wraps around my cock and moan again, touché Mr. O'Reilly, touché.

.

.

.

I wake, startled when I reach for Liam and he isn't there. I glance around the room, letting my eyes adjust to the dark and don't see him. That's weird. I pick up the baby monitor in our room and listen but don't hear anything but Jasper's soft breaths. Frowning I throw the covers off me and slip on a pair of pajama pants. Where is he? I walk to the living room first, thinking maybe he couldn't sleep. Not finding him there, I go to check on Jasper and that's when I see him. He is sleeping on the floor next to Jasper's crib and I am reminded of him saying he used to sleep on the floor in Siobhan's room just to be near her. I smile and walk to the crib looking in on Jasper who is sound asleep.

"Scoot forward," I whisper as I lay behind him, wrapping one of my arms over his chest while the other goes to his hair, our typical sleeping positions.

He moves forward slightly so that I am lying on the actual blanket he has laid on the floor. I pull the other blanket over us and kiss his shoulder.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, against his skin.

"Uh huh," he mumbles sleepily.

"Then why are we sleeping on the floor?" I ask laying several kisses across his shoulder blade and up his neck.

"I was worried I wouldn't hear him," he hums.

"Baby, we bought top of the line monitors so that wouldn't happen."

He breathes in deeply, "I know but…" he stops and entwines his fingers with mine.

"Alright, well, tomorrow we are buying one of those little baby beds to put in our room because we're too old to be sleeping on the floor when we have a very comfortable, very expensive bed in our room," I say nipping along his neck.

He chuckles and turns his head to kiss me, "I love you, El."

I smile and kiss him again before he turns back around, getting back into his sleeping position. I nuzzle as close as is humanly possible to him, feeling his strong back pressed against my chest. I kiss him again on his shoulder blade while he squeezes my hand.

"Siempre serás mi amor," I whisper.

~LoN~

Standing before our floor length mirror in our room, I fix my tie, only stopping when Liam walks out of our bathroom in his formal kilt. He is fiddling with the cuff on his shirt that isn't cooperating with him. I can't help it, my mind goes to the last time he wore a kilt and the difficulty I had keeping my hands off of him. I close my eyes and breathe in deeply as I remember our passionate lovemaking that night and am startled when I feel his lips on me.

"Are you thinking naughty thoughts?" he whispers sexily against my mouth.

The corner of my lip quirks up and I grin as I pull him closer to me, "always."

"Well, you will need to hold those naughty thoughts until tonight," he mumbles as his tongue darts out and passes over my lips.

"No guarantee on that one," I reply, kissing him passionately.

My hands move over his ass and start bunching the back of the kilt up as I massage and squeeze his bare ass. Our kiss intensifies and he starts to rub his hard cock against me as my fingers slip between his cheeks, spreading them. My finger dips into his hole as he groans loudly, grinding his cock against me. Oh, we are definitely going to be late.

"Are you…" his father starts to say coming to our doorway then we hear some form of a gasp before we hear heavy footsteps retreating, "we're ready," we hear him say down the hall.

"Now that's an image I am sure he wants burned out of his mind," Liam says with a chuckle as he kisses me chastely on the lips before stepping back.

I laugh and slip my hand under his kilt again, rubbing his cock in my hand, "it's an image I want burned forever in my mind."

He kisses me again, long and hard and just when I am about to throw him on the bed he pulls away from me.

"Go, before I end up fucking you," he says heatedly.

"And, that's supposed to deter me?" I laugh as I jerk him back to me.

"We're going to be late and you promised you wouldn't drive crazy with Jasper in the car," he says with a brow arch and a tilt of his head.

I roll my eyes, "fine." I start to say something else when we hear Jasper cry, "I'll get him, you get," I wave my hand in the air, "situated."

"I was _situated_ until someone messed with me," I hear him say as I reach the doorway.

I grin as I turn to him, blowing a kiss his way before stepping out of our room. Today is Jasper's baptism. We will be leaving for Corpus Christi soon so that we can make the 12:00 mass before the ceremony. As I walk into the living room where Jasper's parents are I see Liam's mom holding him, settling him down. Smiling, I kneel down next to her and bring my finger to Jasper's hand where he grasps it. I glance at Mr. O'Reilly who is looking anywhere but at me.

"Sorry, sir," I say apologetically. "But in my defense you know I have no ability to resist the _power of the kilt_," I emphasize the last words.

His father makes a loud snort and his mother breaks out into a fit of giggles which actually wakes Jasper again. I smile at him and he starts wiggling around until Mrs. O'Reilly hands him to me. I stand and start walking around, cooing and making funny faces at him when Liam walks out.

"What's so funny?" he asks walking over to me and kissing Jasper's forehead. "What are they laughing about, Jasper?" he coos at him.

"Nothing, nothing," his father says laughing and I hear him mumble, _power of the kilt_, and break out into laughter again.

"Let's go, I don't want to miss mass," his mother says, stifling her giggles.

.

.

.

We meet his siblings at the hotel and they follow us to Corpus Christi where we barely make it in time for noon mass. The actual baptism is taking place after the service, for our family. It was a big ordeal to have the baptism in the first place as Father Martine wasn't sure whether he could preside over it as the church technically did not recognize relationships such as mine and Liam's. He and I debated and eventually I found a loophole. Since technically Jasper was conceived by a man and woman and we were both Catholic he agreed. That was an interesting conversation as I had to admit that Siobhan and I had had sex. Thankfully only I was in the room when we were having that discussion. So although Father Martine would perform the sacrament, he was not willing to upset any of the other parishioners by doing it during regular mass.

"Why is Liam wearing a skirt?" Bobby asks, not to discretely, as I fiddle with his tie which is not done correctly.

I arch my brow at him, "It's not a skirt, it's a kilt. He's Irish and it's tradition."

He nods and watches Liam's brothers and father, all very masculine, all very huge, all wearing kilts. He then glances at Siobhan who is talking with her mother and sister.

"There, that's better," I say stepping back.

"So, since Siobhan and I are going to be Jasper's Godparent's does that mean that if something happens to you and Liam, her and I get married and raise Jasper as our own?" he asks with a wag of his brow which causes Liam to look over at him instead of Jasper who is being held by my mom.

"No, that's not what it means," I roll my eyes at his idiocy.

"Bobby, I like you man but, don't," Liam shakes his head, "that's my sister."

Bobby lets out a loud laugh which gets the attention of Siobhan and everyone else. He smiles at her, "I think she likes me," he says giving her a head nod.

When he turns back to us, Liam is eyeing him and I am shaking my head slightly. He grins and comes between us, putting his arms around both of our shoulders.

"So tell me, Liam, do you guys wear underwear underneath these things?" he asks casually.

Liam smirks, "Ask your cousin, he knows."

Bobby turns to me and arches his brow and then laughs as I blush sheepishly.

"I knew it!" Bobby snorts and slaps my shoulder as we walk to the front of the church.

My mom walks over to us, placing Jasper in my arms. She then cups my cheek lovingly before turning to Liam and kissing him on the cheek. The smile on Liam's face could light up the world. I glance at Jasper who is sleeping peacefully while Liam immediately begins smoothing out Jasper's blanket. Jasper looks perfect. Liam and I insisted that we both be represented so we decided that he would be baptized in my baptismal outfit but he would be wrapped in Liam's baptismal blanket which has his families crest stitched into the corner.

"We are about to begin, could everyone take their seats," Father Martine states as he motions with his hands.

.

.

.

"Today was perfect, wasn't it?" Liam asks, playing with the hair on top of Jasper's head.

"It was," I grin and begin removing my clothes.

"I think our families really hit it off," he says smiling.

"They did," I laugh, "but Patrick and Bobby together is a dangerous combination."

Liam laughs and nods, "they were insane today."

We held the reception at my Tia's restaurant which she shut down for the occasion. Liam's father started things off with a special prayer and then mom prayed for our meal. My mother and Liam's mother huddled together most of the time, finding that they had a lot in common. I think my mother felt reassured somehow that everything would be okay as she talked to Liam's mom. Patrick and Bobby became inseparable. The minute Patrick started telling stories about Liam and I, it was on because then Bobby started in. You would think that they were 'roasting' us or something but that's just their way. Bobby found a kindred spirit in Patrick which was really nice to see.

"I heard Bobby ask Patrick to come down Monday," I say walking to the bed in just my pajama bottoms.

"Look out Texas!" he says with another laugh.

"I'm almost scared to know what kind of trouble those two will get into."

Liam grins and twirls the hair atop Jasper's head around his finger. They are both on our bed so I lie down on the opposite side of Jasper and bring my hand above his head, entwining my fingers with Liam's. He smiles at me and then reaches for my other hand which I give him freely. He places both of our hands on Jasper's stomach and looks at me lovingly and all I can think is how perfect my life is right now.

"I want you to change your name to Whitlock," I say softly, "I know how much your name means to you, to your family, but I don't want there to be any confusion with Jasper. We can formally change your name and when the adoption is finalized there will be no issue. I swear I would kill someone if they said you weren't his father and denied you access to him. If your name is Whitlock no one will question it."

He is not watching me but Jasper.

"Baby, is that okay?" I ask anxiously, "I know we have never talked about this but I… I'm worried, I…" I shake my head, really concerned that he hasn't answered me, "Liam, baby, what are you thinking?"

He looks at me and nods, his eyes are wet, "I'd be honored to carry your name, El."

I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding and lean over Jasper, kissing him softly on the lips, "I love you so much."

* * *

**A/N… Ahhh, so two families unite. Can their life be that easy? Probably not. Once again I urge you to remember that this is set 26 years ago where what El and Liam are doing was not accepted. Nowadays we would look and them and smile, we would see the love there but then not so much.**

**Spanish Translation:  
****Siempre serás****mi amor**** – You will always be my love**


	24. Chapter 24

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Oh man, these two and baby Jasper are 100% adorable. If there was ever a case for gay marriage it would be my two wouldn't it?**

* * *

**Chapter 24**

"Jasper, over here," I shout and he kicks the ball my way but it doesn't go very far.

Liam acts like he is going to get the ball but misses on purpose, while Jasper sneaks in front of him and kicks the ball again, this time it reaches me. I kick it for a goal, raising my hands in the air as Jasper runs up to me giggling before jumping into my arms.

"We did it, papa, we beat daddy," he says excitedly.

"We did, didn't we?" I say lifting him onto my shoulders.

Liam is laughing at the two of us. It's always me and Jasper against Liam in any kind of sporting event because the man is great at everything physical.

"You are getting so good," Liam says tickling his legs that are dangling over my shoulders and then kissing me softly on the lips before grabbing Jasper's feet which he keeps trying to move out of reach.

"Should we go get sorbet?" Liam asks playing with Jasper's feet.

I don't have to see Jasper's face to know he is scrunching his nose. He hates sorbet but Liam insists it's better for him than ice cream. Liam hands him the little soccer ball he got from his uncle Patrick for Christmas this past year. I had thought four was a bit young for soccer but Jasper loves it. Jasper sets the ball on top of my head and holds it in place and based on the look on Liam's face I can tell that Jasper must be pouting.

"Okay, okay, ice cream," Liam concedes as he taps Jasper on the nose.

"Daddy, don't forget Teddy," Jasper cries as we start to walk towards the Dairy Queen near the park.

"I got him. Ya know, I bet Teddy would eat sorbet," Liam says and then looks at the stuffed bear in his hand, "wouldn't you Teddy?"

Jasper starts giggling again. Liam smiles and wraps his arm around my waist while I move my hand up and over his shoulder. The last five years have been extraordinary. Once Jasper was born I couldn't hide anymore. I didn't want to. I was proud of the life I had with Liam. Our family was the most important thing to me so I came out, completely, and oddly enough, it wasn't nearly as difficult as I imagined it to be.

"_Mr. Montgomery, do you have a minute?" I ask hesitantly._

"_Of course," he presses the button on the intercom, "Sophie, hold my calls."_

_He motions for me to sit. I take a deep breath and shut the door which surprises him. I then take a seat in the chair in front of him and cross my legs. I had decided last night that I was going to do this. After Jasper's baptism everyone stayed in Texas for a week. I had taken two weeks off work. Not family leave or sick leave, I took annual leave. The normal vacation I took in December I took now. Internally I was ashamed of myself. I was ashamed that no one in my office knew I was expecting a child let alone that Siobhan had given birth. I was ashamed that I had hidden Liam from everyone for four fucking years and mostly I was ashamed that I let my career hold me back from being me 100% of the time. That came to an end now. I would let the chips fall where they may and if my career suffered so what, there are other firms out there._

"_What's on your mind, Eleazar?" Mr. Montgomery asks, bringing me out of my thoughts._

"_Sir, as you know I have always kept my private life, private, but there are things I feel I need to tell you. I am hopeful that it will not change things but I am prepared either way," I begin, watching as he leans back in his chair, eyeing me curiously._

"_Go ahead, Eleazar," he says firmly._

"_First off, I wanted to let you know that with your permission I will be taking another two or three weeks off. I just had a son and would like to spend more time with him."_

_His eyes widen, "You had a child?" he smiles and comes around the desk to shake my hand, "Well, hell, Eleazar, why didn't you say anything? Of course take a few more weeks. You are entitled to six weeks, take it all. I will transfer all your active cases so that's not a problem."_

"_Thank you, sir, but I have something else I want to say," I continue._

"_Of course, go on," he says leaning against his desk._

"_Do you remember, Mr. O'Reilly?" I ask._

"_Sure," he replies and crosses his arms._

_I take a deep breath, "he and I are, umm," I pause, looking down as I breathe in deeply._

"_Eleazar, I know," Mr. Montgomery says casually._

_I look up at him in shock, "You know?"_

"_Well, I suspected," he says standing and walking back to his chair. When he sees my stunned expression he smiles, "while Mr. O'Reilly and his associates were here I noticed that he showed absolutely no interest in any of the women in the office that were blatantly throwing themselves at him yet he had indicated that he wasn't married or dating anyone. That seemed odd to me. You know I am happily married but I couldn't fathom any man turning down what he was being offered and then, well, then it hit me, maybe he wasn't interested in women at all. Of course I never suspected you were gay until I saw you two at Brennan's earlier this year. I put two and two together," he finishes._

"_But you never said anything?"_

_He laughs, "of course not, it's none of my business. If I cared about those things I would have found a way to get rid of you when you walked in the door. Bottom line for me, Eleazar, is the type of attorney you are and the revenue you bring into the firm. What you do in your bedroom is not my concern," he pauses, contemplatively. "However, I hope you realize that not everyone in the firm will feel the same way."_

"_I understand. I don't plan on advertising it, if that's your concern. I'm just not going to hide it. I have a family now and I want to be able to do the same things other families can do without fear that somehow people will find out and I'd lose my job. I love what I do, Mr. Montgomery but I will leave this firm if I have to." I say with determination._

"_I have always respected you, Eleazar. You knew that people doubted your abilities because of, well, you know," I nod, acknowledging that he is referring to me being Mexican, "but it seemed to drive you to excel and I would imagine that this will as well. I don't see this as a hindrance."_

_I nod, "Thank you, sir."_

_I stand and start for the door._

"_By the way, what'd you name your son?" Mr. Montgomery asks._

_I smile and turn to him, "Jasper William Whitlock."_

"_That's a strong name, Eleazar," he says with a smile, "Tell Mr. O'Reilly I said congratulations."_

_I nod and breathe in deeply as relief floods through me._

"_He goes by Whitlock now."_

"Papa, the light changed," Jasper says moving the ball on my head a couple of times to get my attention.

I chuckle, "sorry, Mijo."

~LoN~

"Jasper, come on sleepy head," I say, sliding into the bed with him.

I immediately start tickling him and he screams as he laughs. He then throws the blankets off and he is already dressed, except his clothes, that Liam neatly pressed the night before, are now completely wrinkled. He looks adorably disheveled.

"See, I'm ready. I slept in them so I wouldn't have to change," he says full of excitement.

I nod and try to contain my smile because Liam is going to have a conniption when he sees how wrinkled this outfit is.

"I see that, son. That was smart thinking," I grin as I tussle his hair. "Come on, daddy is making you a special first day of school breakfast," I say and then laugh at the big smile that comes on his face as he jumps out of the bed.

He takes off and I am in hot pursuit because I want to see Liam's face when he sees him.

"Daddy, daddy, what did you make me?" Jasper yells as he barrels down the hallway.

Liam turns and I can tell he is fighting the urge to rip Jasper's clothes off and iron them but Jasper's happy little face halts that.

"He wore them to bed," I say kissing Liam on the cheek.

"Hmmm," Liam replies smiling at Jasper, "go sit down, son, your breakfast is almost done," he says mussing up his hair.

Jasper trots to the dining room and plops down, impatiently waiting for his special breakfast. Much to Liam's dismay Jasper did not like any of the health conscious foods that he liked to make so he started improvising, coming up with new and inventive ways to get Jasper to eat nutritious foods. Liam puts the finishing touches on the plate which consists of what looks like some sort of kabob. I tilt my head to the side and nod to the plate.

He smiles, "They're French toast kabobs with fruit. I just cut the toast in strips and interspersed it with the fruit he loves," he points to a smaller bowl, "this is plain Greek yogurt with fresh strawberry preserves in it and of course this is syrup, completely natural of course," he points to the small cup on the plate.

I smile, "of course."

As I examine the plate further I see that he has various fresh fruit scattered neatly under the kabobs as well. The plate itself has a small amount of syrup in an intricate design and a spattering of powdered sugar over that as well as the kabobs. That looks really good. I glance around to see if he made some for us as well. Catching my look he grins and uncovers a platter that has more of them on it.

"What, I don't warrant a fancy design?" I whisper in his ear.

I can feel his cheeks form that perfect smile I love, "do you want me to doctor your plate up too baby?" he says turning to kiss me lightly.

We hear Jasper move impatiently in his seat and Liam pecks my lips chastely, "I love you."

"I love you too," I say smiling against his lips.

He turns pack to the plate and I grin as I pick up the bottle of syrup, trying to decide what's in it that makes it taste good enough for Jasper to eat it. Liam discovered a Trader Joe's last March when we went to Pasadena for our anniversary weekend. He absolutely fell in love with the store and now has them ship various organic products directly to us. He still has the small market in town that we go to all the time because they carry more organically based foods including Greek yogurt which he says is healthier for us. The man was health conscious before but since Jasper was born he has become somewhat obsessive about it. He finishes squeezing Jasper's orange juice and picks up the plate, setting them both in front of him. Jasper starts clapping and looks up at Liam with a beaming smile. Liam touches his face lightly and kisses his forehead.

"Eat, son," he says sitting across from him, "you have a big day today."

Once Jasper is done and Liam has unsuccessfully tried to convince him to change clothes we are off to drop him off. It's his first day of Kindergarten and he is excited beyond belief. Jasper grips our hands tightly as we make our way to the school. Liam and I both notice the looks we are getting as we walk down the hall and into Jasper's classroom but Jasper doesn't pay attention to any of it. He is bouncing around excited and then stops when he sees his name on the wall.

"Look, my name," he points.

"That is your name, isn't it," Liam says proudly.

"How wonderful that he can recognize his own name already," a woman says walking up to us.

"He's very smart," I say. "He can recognize most of the alphabet and some of the numbers," I run my hand down the back of his head and he looks up at me.

"I get mixed up a little huh, papa," he says seriously.

"Yes, just a little but you are still learning," I say kneeling down. "You have a great day today, son. I am going to get off early, okay. Daddy and I are going to do something special for you after school."

He smiles and hugs me tightly, "I love you, papa," and then he hugs Liam who is also kneeling, "I love you, daddy, thank you for my special breakfast."

Liam kisses his cheek, "you're welcome, son. I'll be waiting for you when you're done."

Jasper nods and turns quickly. We watch him walk away and then stand to leave the classroom. I really can't believe he is off to school already. It doesn't seem that long ago that we were debating the concept of a babysitter. Liam was very adamant. He didn't want a stranger watching Jasper but all my family lived far away. We had done extensive interviews trying to find the right fit but Liam rejected them all. Finally, I broke down and called Carmen hoping she might know someone that could help us. She was very sweet and introduced us to Melanie. Melanie was her niece and a certified nanny. She was a godsend. Jasper loved her and it allowed Liam and I to both work although he did change his work schedule so Jasper would not be away from him for any long length of time. As we exit the room I turn to Liam and his lips are in a hard line and his body posture is tense. I reach for his hand and he shakes his head. I frown while he sighs.

"Not here, I'm getting a bad feeling, please, El," he says and I can hear the panic in his voice as I slip my hand in my pocket.

~LoN~

My day was decidedly slow. I was distracted and anxious to get home. I wanted to know how Jasper's first day was. I wanted all the minute details. I want him to bounce on my lap as he tells me the exciting things he did in class. I glance at the framed picture on my desk of me, Liam and Jasper, taken July 4th and smile. I pack up my desk, shoving my files in my attaché case. Fuck it, I'll finish this at home.

"Sophie, I am going to finish my work from home. It's Jasper's first day of school and I want to be home when he gets there," I say as I walk up to her desk.

She smiles sweetly, "He is such a cutie, Mr. Whitlock. I can't believe he is already old enough for school."

I smile, "Me either but he was very excited this morning."

"I'll call you if anything comes up," she says and I nod and head for the elevators.

When I get to the condo Liam is not there so I know he is walking Jasper home. I go hang up my jacket and remove my tie, placing it in the holder in our closet when I hear the door open. I haven't changed completely but I don't care. I need to see Jasper so I quickly make my way out of the bedroom just in time to see Jasper run down the hall and into his room. Liam is wearing a concerned expression as he comes up to me.

"What happened?" I ask.

"I don't know. He wouldn't talk all the way home. I didn't want to push him about it while we were on the street."

I grab his hand as we both walk into Jasper's room to find him underneath the covers. We can hear him crying. I frown, wondering what could have happened to him. I motion for Liam to get on the bed behind him while I go to the side and kneel down where I think his head might be. Liam slips completely underneath the blankets.

"What's the matter, son?" I hear him ask.

"I don't want to go back," Jasper says indignantly.

"Why not?" When Jasper doesn't answer Liam continues, "Jasper, we can't help if you don't tell us what's bothering you."

I pull the covers up slightly and come face to face with a red faced Jasper.

"Mijo, please tell us what's going on," I ask as calmly as I can.

"Papa, what does faggot mean?" he asks softly and I hear Liam blow out a breath behind him.

I touch his face lightly, "It's a mean word for men like me and daddy. Did someone use that word today?" I ask.

He nods.

"At you?"

He shakes his head.

"At me and daddy?"

He nods and starts crying again. I stand and sit on the bed as I pull him onto my lap, wrapping my arms around him tightly. Liam scoots next to me, resting his head on my shoulder as he gently rubs Jasper's back. The reality is that Liam and I can handle the name calling but there is no way in hell that Jasper should have to endure it as well. Is this what he is going to have to deal with for the rest of his life? I lean down and kiss the top of Jasper's head and then tilt my head slightly so that I can kiss Liam as well. His face is forlorn. Our breathing is now heavy, our hearts are weary and our souls are burdened by what we have brought upon our son. We never wanted him to suffer because of our love.

* * *

**A/N… sigh… well, first off I adore little Jasper and it is a shame that things like this happen. Even nowadays but it was definitely worse back then. For any foodies out there I did put the recipe for Liam's special breakfast on the blog as well as some pictures that inspired this particular chapter **


	25. Chapter 25

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Mmm, yeah, I know, last chapter was a little sad at the end there.**

* * *

**Chapter 25**

I wake in the middle of the night and start kissing along his shoulder while my one hand moves down his chest, slipping into his pajama bottoms and resting on his cock. I stroke him firmly, while my other hand pushes his pants over his ass so that I can move my own hard length through his cheeks, teasing his hole. He lets out a soft moan as I smile. Letting go of my cock I reach for the lube while my hips still move languidly against him. He is in that wonderful half awake, half asleep phase which means he probably thinks he is dreaming right now.

"Ellll," he draws out my name in almost a whisper.

"I love you," I mutter near his ear.

He hums softly, "I love you, toooo."

I grin because he is definitely more asleep then awake. I rub the lube on me and pull his pants down further before pressing the tip of my head against his entrance. He mumbles a sleepy, _yes_, so I start pushing into him carefully. I didn't prep him so I am going very slowly, allowing him to stretch around me. His cock starts bouncing so I reach around and grab him, stroking his hard lelength as I enter him completely.

"You feel so fucking good," I moan and start moving in and out of him slowly.

He is so tight, so good. I let go of his cock, resting my hand on his hip as I increase my pace, grunting softly, trying to be conscious of the noises I am making when he suddenly lets out a grunted moan as he starts to come all over the place. Now it is clear that he's still asleep otherwise he would have more control over his orgasm. Shit! He is moaning and panting loudly so I move my hand to try and contain the stream but it's too late. His grunting increases as he slips out curse words and orders for me to go faster. Oh God! This man is too much. I let go of his cock and move my hand to his mouth, trying to quiet him down. His eyes shoot open and he immediately takes my thumb and starts sucking on it vigorously causing me to utter several fucks along the way.

"I… fucking…love…you," I stutter through ragged breaths.

We are both moaning and grunting loudly as I continue to thrust wildly until I let out a breathy gasp and come gloriously inside him. I continue to thrust several more times as he releases my thumb, panting and moaning. He turns his head, his face is beautifully flushed and his mouth is slightly parted. I kiss him sloppily when we hear a light tapping on our door. Shit! We must have wakened Jasper.

"Papa, can I sleep with you and daddy?" we hear as the door cracks open.

"Shit!" Liam mumbles as he pulls up his pajama bottoms quickly almost too quickly because I barely have time to pull out of him.

"Hold on, son," I stutter out of breath, shoving the lube into the nightstand drawer.

"I've got come all over me, El," he whispers in a panic.

"Shh, I'll have him sleep on my side," I kiss his shoulder and chuckle, "the come free side."

He turns his head and narrows his eyes at me, "not funny."

I bring my finger up to smooth the crease in his brow, "yes, it is." I smile when he shakes his head but I can tell he is trying not to laugh. "Come in, Jasper," I say as Liam kisses me softly on the lips.

.

.

.

I wake a few hours later with my arm around Jasper and Liam's arms around me and Jasper. The alarm is going off and I feel Liam's hand move and slap the button on it. He nuzzles against me, kissing me softly.

"I'm going to shower before Jasper wakes up," he says between kisses.

"I'm already up, daddy," Jasper says with a giggle.

Liam leans over me and kisses the top of his head, "well, we better get ready then, grandma is waiting for us."

Jasper wiggles out of the bed laughing and then makes a mad dash out of our room. Liam grins and pins me down, moving on top of me. I smile and bring my hands up into his hair.

"That was really nice last night," he says with a smirk.

"Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed it," I grin and pull his face down so I can kiss him. "Now let's go shower."

He shakes his head, "one of us needs to get Jasper ready."

I laugh, "I am sure Jasper has already picked out what he wants to wear today."

Liam chuckles, "and I am sure it will not match."

"Much to his daddy's dismay," I say kissing him again.

Liam has finally given up trying to dress Jasper. We have accepted that Jasper has his own very unique sense of fashion. Liam would consistently buy him perfectly coordinated outfits and Jasper would mix and match as he saw fit. At eight he is very opinionated and strong willed and we decided that it was best that we embrace his lack of conformity. Of course, some of the outfits he puts together are a bit out there but he seems to shrug off what anyone says. He appears content hanging with us, although, I wish he was a little more open to making friends.

School has been a challenge for him though, for us. The first year was the hardest as Jasper heard a lot of derogatory things but most people have come around to Liam and me now. Although, there are some that continue to be difficult. One mother in particular went so far as to create a petition that would ban the two of us from attending functions together with Jasper as she so eloquently put, 'we would corrupt the moral fiber of the children'. I'm not sure what was more troubling, that she actually believed that or that she got people to sign the petition. The one advantage that Liam and I had was my profession. They all knew that I was a litigator and I made it very clear that should the school board decide to violate mine and Liam's rights as parents I would be forced to take action and sue them, the principal, and the school district. In fact I told them in no uncertain terms that I would sue whoever the hell I wanted in addition to holding a press conference outlining the discriminatory practices of the school. They weren't sure if I would actually do it but none were willing to take a chance.

We hear the television go on and immediately the theme song for X-Men is blasting in the living room.

"See, he is sidetracked by Wolverine. Let's shower," I mumble as I shift my hips underneath him, I lick my lips and smile. "Come on baby," I lean up and kiss him softly, "Mmm, I want you to fuck me," I whisper sexily against his lips.

He looks at me and smirks, his eyes darkening, "you don't play fair."

"Nope," I say rolling us so that I am on top of him, kissing him fervently. I break our kiss, breathing heavily against his mouth. "Fuck me."

He groans as his mouth attacks mine.

.

.

.

We arrive at mom's five hours later and one hour behind schedule. Well, that was my fault. Our shower went decidedly longer than anticipated. Over the years our sex life has not been as vibrant as it was initially which I suppose would be true of all parents. The first year after Jasper was born was the worst. Jasper slept in our room and neither of us felt comfortable having sex with him in there, even though he was asleep. Our normal shower routine got out of sync as well because we were paranoid that somehow Jasper would need us and we wouldn't be able to get to him on time. To say we doted over him was an understatement. As he got older he wanted to sleep with us most nights which we both loved immensely but we were missing our connection together. It wasn't until we realized that we had gone several months without sex that we knew something had to change. We slowly weaned Jasper out of our room and got into a regular routine again. Up until last night Jasper hadn't been in our bed for several months.

"NIETO," mom yells as Jasper runs up to her.

"Perdón por llegar tarde," I grin at Liam, "fue por su culpa," I say motioning to Liam.

"Whatever he said, it isn't true," Liam says kissing her cheek.

She laughs and shakes her head and looks at Jasper, "Are you hungry, Nieto?"

He nods and she turns with him and takes him into the kitchen with her, us following behind them, carrying the pies that Liam made which has now become a tradition at our annual Thanksgiving meal. Liam and I leave the pies on the counter and entrust Jasper in my mom's capable hands while we head back outside to see what the men are doing. Liam and I are both very handsy which tends to be the case anytime we have sex more than once. It's as if that area gets triggered and we can't turn it off. Even now as I watch him talking passionately about a federal decision in California related to proposition 187, all I can think about is fucking him. I smile as Bobby starts talking about how what happens in California doesn't concern him but Liam and several of my other cousins are arguing about how the decision could affect other states as well and that it would be detrimental to Texas.

"Can we not talk politics," I finally say and motion for Liam to come sit with me. He smiles and drops down beside me, taking my hand in his.

"Yes, please," mom says shaking her head. She hates when they all get that way.

"Grandma, do you know my other Grandma?" Jasper asks out of the blue.

Mom laughs, "Of course, Grandma Patty is a wonderful woman."

"Not that Grandma," he says laughing as he climbs on her lap.

She looks at me and Liam and we both look equally puzzled.

"Nieto, who are you talking about," she says lifting his chin up.

He cocks his head to the side, confused as he looks around the room. We are all staring at him. Suddenly he scrunches his brows together and he has the same expression that Liam gets when he is frustrated.

"She said she was my grandma," he mumbles, looking at the ground.

I let go of Liam's hand immediately and practically leap to the floor in front of Jasper, scaring the shit out of him I'm sure because he jumps back startled. I grab his arms and make him look at me.

"Jasper," I say firmly, "who approached you?"

He looks like he is going to cry, "Papa, I'm sorry."

I close my eyes and feel Liam's hands on my shoulder. He then moves my hands from Jasper's arms and touches his face softly.

"You're not in trouble, son, but, if someone came up to you that you didn't know, you need to tell us, okay?" he says very calmly.

Jasper nods and glances back at me and then back at Liam, "she came up to me last week. I had seen her before though but she didn't say anything to me."

"Where was this?" I ask as gently as I can.

"School," Jasper says hesitantly.

I pinch my eyes shut and feel Liam's hand at the base of my neck, trying to calm me down because right now I am about to go off on someone. How can some random person approach my son and no one notices, and if they did notice why the hell didn't they call us?

"She asked what my name was and I told her I wasn't allowed to talk to strangers," he pauses, "papa?" he says meekly.

I open my eyes and see his worried expression. I touch his face lovingly, "it's okay, son, go on. What happened next?"

"She said she wasn't a stranger, that she was my grandma Bernice," he stops when he sees me visibly blanch and hears his grandma gasp.

"It's okay, son. What else?" Liam asks trying to draw his focus away from me.

"She said that I looked exactly like my grandpa and showed me a picture of a little boy that looked like me but the picture was really old and wrinkled. She asked me again what my name was so I told her and then she started crying. Daddy, you always say I should be nice to my relatives," he says directly to Liam.

"I know," Liam says kissing his forehead. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Is she my grandma?" he asks hesitantly.

I am breathing hard, the heat rising up my neck. How dare she approach my son? She never wanted to meet me but she will go up to my son, at his school no less. I stand up quickly, fishing the car keys out of my pocket as I head for the door.

"El, stop," Liam shouts. "Watch him," I hear and assume he is talking about Jasper because I can hear Jasper crying.

I am already down the walkway when I hear the door close behind me and then footsteps.

"El, damn it, stop!" he says catching up to me. "Where are you going?"

"She isn't allowed to talk to him. I am going to tell her that and give her a piece of my mind. That..." I fist my hands, "that woman wanted nothing to do with me or my father yet she tries to make contact with our son. That's bull shit!" I say fuming, my face on fire.

"She's an old woman, El, maybe she's trying to make peace with all of…" he stops when I start shaking my head.

"NO!" I shout, "She abandoned her son and her grandson, she doesn't get to fix that, she knows what her husband did, yet she did nothing to stop it."

Liam looks at me confused, "what are you talking about?"

"He thinks his grandpa had his father murdered," Bobby says coming up to us.

"What?" Liam asks shocked.

"Eleazar, it's been over thirty years. You need to let it go," Bobby says, looking me in the eyes. "Your father is dead, it was an accident," I stare at him, my face straining, as I shake my head and watch him nod. "It was Eleazar. Listen to me, you have a son in there that is scared to death. Get your shit together!" he says angrily.

"El, please, come back inside with me," Liam says, running his fingers along my upper back and shoulders.

I turn to him; tears are running down my face. My heart is hurting. He takes my hand in his and pulls me closer to him, kissing me softly on the lips before he starts walking towards the house, leading me. When we walk in Jasper looks up, his eyes are red and puffy and he is sniffling. I glance at Liam and he sighs softly before letting go of my hand, resting it on my lower back as I start walking quickly to Jasper. I lift him up and he immediately buries his head in the crook of my neck.

"Lo siento, hijo, Te quiero muchísimo," I tell him how much I love him and that I'm sorry as I sit us on the couch, cradling him in my arms.

I rest my head atop his and start talking in Spanish, as I tell him how scared I was, how I couldn't bear to have something happen to him, and how much losing my father affected me. I know he doesn't understand what I am saying but I can't stop myself, it just starts flowing and as with most things, when I get emotional it comes out in Spanish. I feel Liam's fingers playing with my hair at the nape of my neck and hear everyone crying in the background and I realize that this is probably the first time I have ever really talked about my father to anyone other than Bobby. Oh, I've talked people's ears off about my theories on his death but never really showed this side of me. Suddenly Jasper looks up. He has the most serious expression I have ever seen on him as he gently touches my face.

"I love you, papa," he says sincerely and I close my eyes as I hug him tightly.

* * *

**A/N… Ummm, yeah, I know but El had to get that shit out **** … what do you think about El's grandma contacting Jasper? Does she get a pass for her never being in El's life, hmmm.**

**Spanish Translation:  
**"**Perdón por llegar tarde****," I grin at Liam, "****fue por su culpa****," – "Sorry we're late," I grin at Liam, "it was his fault,"  
**"**Lo siento, hijo, Te quiero muchísimo" – Sorry, son, I love you so much**


	26. Chapter 26

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**So yep little Jasper is adorbs but let's jump ahead a few years, four to be exact.**

* * *

**Chapter 26**

_In my eyes  
__Indisposed  
__In disguises no one knows  
__Hides the face, lies the snake  
__In the sun in my disgrace  
__Boiling heat, summer stench  
__'Neath the black the sky looks dead  
__Call my name through the cream  
__And I'll hear you scream again_

_Black hole sun won't you come  
and wash away the rain  
Black hole sun won't you come, won't you come  
_

"Should we be concerned?" I ask as I glance towards Jasper's room.

"About what?" Liam asks, turning in the kitchen to face me.

"He's been listening to that CD on loop," I say looking back at Liam. "Isn't he too young to be listening to grunge rock bands?"

Liam laughs, "He likes them. I've listened to the album. Soundgarden is very good. He's fine."

I glance towards the room again where the music is playing loud enough to be heard in the dining room.

_Stuttering cold and damp  
Steal the warm wind tired friend  
Times are gone for honest men  
And sometimes far too long for snakes  
In my shoes a walking sleep  
In my youth I pray to keep  
Heaven send hell away  
No one sings like you anymore  
_

_Black hole sun won't you come  
and wash away the rain  
Black hole sun won't you come, won't you come_

"He told me he wants to start a band," Liam says as the guitar solo starts and then chuckles, "and move to Seattle."

I turn around and lean back in my chair with a noticeable frown on my face. Liam grins and strolls over to me, throwing his leg over my lap and straddling my hips. I breathe in deeply and gently run my fingers down his chest, watching the path they are making until they settle on the top button of his jeans where I pop it open. Swallowing thickly, I pull his shirt out of his jeans and allow my fingers to slip inside the top band, popping a couple more buttons open and scraping my fingers through his trail of hair. When I finally look up at him I am met with Liam's lust filled eyes. His tongue traces over his lips as he brings his mouth to mine. His hands go to my face, holding me while he kisses me deeply. I moan and move my hands underneath his shirt, running my fingers along his lower back, before settling them over his ass and into his back pockets.

"Let's go to our room," I mumble through our kiss.

He nods as he grinds against me, his tongue moving with purpose inside my mouth. We have been together for sixteen years now, unbelievable. He is still the sexiest man to walk the earth. His body still fit and tight, there's not a single gray hair on his head or a wrinkle on his face. He continues to run ten miles every night and has taken up Tae Kwon Do as well as kick boxing. I still swim twenty laps a night and on occasion run with him but unfortunately my work prevents me from doing so most nights. Over the years I have garnered quite a reputation as a hard as nails attorney. It had been an ongoing joke that if I had lived in California at the time of the OJ Simpson trial I would have been the lead attorney instead of Johnny Cochran. I was actually approached to be on the infamous 'Dream Team' but I declined. I suspected it would be a long drawn out affair and wasn't willing to leave my family for any length of time especially after my grandmother's unexpected visit to Jasper that same year.

The following Monday after returning from visiting my mom for Thanksgiving, I called on my grandmother. It turned out that she had seen Jasper and Liam walking to school one day, she didn't know Liam but thought she was going crazy, seeing visions of her dead son. It wasn't until she saw me on one of the occasions that she realized that Jasper was mine. Apparently she had followed my career and knew what I looked like. She watched Jasper for weeks until one day she approached him. She apologized for doing that without my permission and we ended up talking for over an hour, well, she did most of the talking while I listened. She spent the time talking about my father and how much she loved him and how wrong she had been for not standing up to her husband or getting to know me. I knew that she was being sincere, I felt that, but it was still hard for me to let go of the anger I felt towards her. She begged for my forgiveness and although I wanted to tell her she couldn't have it, I didn't. She looked so pitiful and I thought about what Liam had said and made peace with her. That was my first and last conversation with my grandmother. She died a week later from lung cancer.

"Dad," we hear in the hallway and immediately break our kiss.

Liam leans back slightly and discreetly buttons his jeans. Smirking, he kisses my cheek and moves his mouth close to my ear, "to be continued."

We have always been affectionate around Jasper and unfortunately, he has walked in on us making out heavily on more than one occasion, so he is never fazed by us. Liam unstraddles my lap casually and then brings his hand into Jasper's hair, messing it up.

"Dad," Jasper whines, trying to duck away from him.

"Let me cut it then," Liam suggests and then laughs at the frown that Jasper gives him.

"I like it. It looks like Kurt Cobain's," he says very seriously.

I look at Liam, confused. He smiles as he walks into the kitchen. "Lead singer of Nirvana, died four years ago," he says nonchalantly.

I turn to Jasper, "You're eleven. How do you even know who this person is?" I ask completely flabbergasted.

Jasper smiles and leans back against the table near me. "Dad bought me several CD's, you know, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains," he says casually as if I should know who these bands are. Finally he smirks, "Even dad said the music that came out of the early 90's was extraordinary."

I look at Liam for guidance and he is too busy chuckling as he sears some sort of meat.

"Dad, I am almost twelve."

I turn to him, "Not for another three months, son."

"And since I am almost twelve that means I am almost a teenager, right?" He continues, ignoring my last remark.

"I suppose," I say, glancing at Liam again who is watching us both so he doesn't know where Jasper is going with this either.

"So, I was thinking," he looks between Liam and I before continuing, "next month when we go on the boat for the 4th you should let me drive it."

My eyes widen and then I laugh and cross my arms, "Jasper, there is no way in hell I am letting you drive my firm's boat. You're eleven for Christ's sake."

He frowns and starts to say something else but I raise my hand and stop him, "Jasper, not gonna happen."

"But Dad, that's not fair. I…" he stops and scrunches his brow. "Did they just say my name on TV?" he asks and starts walking into the living room with me and Liam following close behind him.

**The Town of Jasper, Texas has been brought to national attention as the body of James Byrd Jr. was found dead. Authorities report that his body had been beaten and chained to the back of a pickup truck and drug for three miles along a remote rural road. Forensic evidence suggests that Byrd was alive during the dragging and it appears he may have attempted to keep his head up until his body hit a culvert, severing his head and arm. Three men have been picked up for questioning in this brutal slaying that authorities are saying is racially motivated.**

"What does that mean? Daddy, what does that mean?" Jasper says in a panic.

I am staring at the television. I can't believe what I am seeing. Liam grabs Jasper and pulls him into his arms, holding him tightly, trying to calm him down.

"Daddy, please tell me?" Jasper pleads and I know he must be scared because he doesn't call Liam daddy or me papa anymore. He had told us that he was too old for that so now he just calls us both dad. He only breaks out the term daddy when he is scared.

"It means the men who did this, did it because they didn't like this man because he was black." Liam says calmly, moving Jasper's hair out of his face.

"I don't understand. Did they know him?"

"Probably not," Liam replies softly.

Jasper closes his eyes tightly and when they open again his eyes are wide as fear creeps in. He starts breathing hard as he turns to me, pleading but for what I don't know.

"Do they hate Mexicans too?" he asks timidly, his face expressing the concern he has.

I close my eyes and pull him to me, whispering words of encouragement that I don't really believe myself. The truth is that it was only a matter of time before something like this happened in Jasper. The Klan is heavy in that area. I smell smoke and suddenly our fire alarm is going off.

"SHIT! The steaks," Liam jumps up and runs into the kitchen and I hear a lot of racket before the alarm stops buzzing and a few minutes later Liam is on the phone ordering Jasper's favorite pizza.

~LoN~

The rest of that dreadful evening was very quiet. Jasper didn't say much and only ate one slice of pizza. Later that evening we settled him down but he has slept in our bed since that night. The rest of the week was a nightmare as every channel seemed to be talking about the Byrd case. I finally banned the television from being on. What made matters worse was that I ended up getting into an argument with one of the partners in the firm a few days ago because he thought we should try to get on the defense team. Something I was adamantly against.

"_There is no way in hell I will sign on to represent those racist sons of bitches."_

"_Well, you don't speak for all the partners, Mr. Whitlock," Mr. Smith says and I cringe._

"_I am one of the senior partners. That position entitles me to a final say in what cases our firm takes and what cases we reject," I say, my tone dripping with disdain._

"_Just because Mr. Montgomery promoted you," his lip twitches as he folds his hands on the table, "doesn't mean that you are in charge, Eleazar," he says with disgust._

_I frown and glare at him. There are now seven partners in our firm but only three of us are senior partners. Mr. Smith hates the fact that Mr. Montgomery promoted me before he retired to ensure that Mr. Smith couldn't do anything to stop it. I never realized how much interference Mr. Montgomery did for me in this firm until he left. This bastard fights me on everything. Sometimes I think he waits to make his decisions until I express my opinion so he can push for the opposite. But this is ridiculous. I can't believe he would think we should be involved with this trial. There is no way any defense team could win this case._

"_Mr. Montgomery would never allow the firm to tarnish its reputation in this way," I say coolly as I eye Mr. Smith with loathing. "We should not be involved," I finish._

_Mr. Smith stands and so do I. He glares at me as he starts to walk over to my side of the table while all the other attorneys in the room stare in disbelief. Mr. Smith and I are known to always be at odds with one another but generally we keep it civil. But I won't budge, not on this._

"_I am a senior partner as well and as you stated, that entitles ME a final say too," he sneers as he gets close to me. His lip twitches again and his eyes narrow into tiny slits. "And I don't need some Mexican faggot to tell me what I should or shouldn't do."_

"_You racist bast…"_

"_I've heard enough," Mr. Wilson interjects forcefully, cutting me off._

_Mr. Smith and I continue to stare each other down. Now I know. It was him. He was the one that tried to fire me when I started; his true colors are finally showing._

"_I am with Mr. Whitlock. This case is too volatile to be associated with. The defendant's show no remorse and the case would be impossible to win. Not to mention the negative publicity that would undoubtedly taint the firm," Mr. Wilson says firmly._

_I smirk as Mr. Smith frowns. Mr. Wilson stands and walks over to us, turning to Mr. Smith, "In spite of what you think, Aaron, John completely trusted Eleazar, as do I. Don't ever talk to him like that again. He has proven over and over not only his skills in the courtroom but his personal character as well. Keep your bigotry out of here," he says with a heated stare._

_Aaron starts to say something but then stops and walks passed me._

I hear the door close from our bedroom which brings me out of my thoughts. Soon footsteps are approaching where I am. Liam has been antsy all day, actually the past couple of days, and when he gets to me he leans against the breakfast bar and crosses his arms, an angry expression on his face.

"We should move," he starts with a distinct edge to his voice. "Out of Texas," he finishes.

"Move, why the hell should we move?" I ask with a laugh.

"How about the fact that it isn't safe here anymore," he fires back.

"It's not safe anywhere," I say with annoyance and when his expression hardens, I frown, "I'm not giving up my practice. I am one of the senior partners. I worked hard to get that and…"

He moves forward quickly and slams his hands hard on the table, hard enough that I actually jump slightly. "You would risk our family for your job. Is that what you're telling me?" he yells.

I stand up, "my _job_ gives us everything we have, allows us to live the life we want to live, enables us to give Jasper everything he could possibly want," I raise my voice as well.

He narrows his eyes at me and his brows furrow, "he wants his father to be safe," he yells and then points in the direction of our room, "he prays every damn night, over and over, that God protect you from bad men. He's afraid the Klan is going to kill you," he gets right in my face, "can your _job_ give him an assurance that _that_ won't happen?"

I stare at him, unable to find the words.

"I didn't think so," he says walking past me and towards the bedroom again.

I set my hands on the table and drop back in my seat. It's like the wind has been knocked out of me. I glance at the papers I have scattered around. Papers for my current case are spread across the table with my note pad and mini recorder on top of them. I squeeze my eyes shut and stand determinedly as I walk to our bedroom. Jasper is lying in the middle of the bed, facing my side and Liam is lying behind him, his arm around his waist while his fingers are playing in his hair. I step inside and slip my pants and shirt off, walking to the dresser and pulling out a pair of pajama bottoms. I lay down in front of Jasper and his eyes open. They are wet and I can tell he has been crying.

"Did we wake you?" I ask, running my fingers along his face. He nods.

"Are you mad at daddy?" he asks with sad eyes.

"Of course not, I'm sorry you heard us arguing," I glance at Liam, who has his eyes closed, his face straining. I look back at Jasper, "I love your daddy but sometimes parents disagree."

"I don't like it," he says meekly.

"I know, son. I don't like it either," I say kissing his forehead. "Go to sleep, okay?"

"Are you coming to bed?" he asks.

"Yes," I push a piece of his hair behind his ear.

He smiles and closes his eyes. I move my hand over him and touch Liam's face. He sighs and moments later he kisses my palm tenderly. I lean over Jasper and kiss him softly on the lips.

"I'm sorry," I whisper against his mouth. "I love you, Liam."

"I love you too, El," he whispers, kissing me chastely.

* * *

**A/N… hmmm, for those not aware, on June 7, 1998 James Byrd Jr. was drug to his death by three Klan's members. It was a terrible time in US history. It was important to mention because it sets the atmosphere for what it was like then. Now the song that Jasper played in the beginning of the chapter is called Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden. I thought it fitting since in ADH I establish that Edward and Jasper share a love for Audioslave which was formed by Chris Cornell the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist from Soundgarden after Soundgarden disbanded. So, check out the blog for a couple of videos**


	27. Chapter 27

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Wow… so things in Texas are not going so well right now.**

* * *

**Chapter 27**

The next couple of months improved significantly. A few weeks after the James Byrd murder, Jasper was back in his own room and things with Liam smoothed out. He didn't mention moving again which I was extremely happy about. Texas has its problems but doesn't every state. I was born and raised here and I am not prepared to leave simply because there are some bad elements in the midst. Jasper comes bouncing into the living room and the excitement on his face is palpable.

"Dad, how much longer?" he asks going into the kitchen and pulling out a bottle of water.

I smirk as I set my recorder down. I took on a new case earlier this week and have been extremely busy. I haven't been home early all week but Liam and Jasper understand. Liam knows that's my process. I take on a case and I research and research, interviewing witnesses myself and making sure all my bases are covered. I know I have people that can do that for me but I feel more connected when it's me. I know what I need to do to win my case.

"Are you stalling because you are afraid to go on the Zipper with me and dad?" he asks coming up to me and leaning against the breakfast bar.

My God! Sometimes that boy is so much like Liam it's ridiculous. Liam, who is sitting on the sofa reading, burst into laughter. I glance over my shoulder and he grins as he attempts to stop laughing. I turn back to Jasper who has his brow arched. Generally speaking I can handle roller coasters, it's the whole upside down thing I don't do well with. It's Saturday, Labor Day weekend and we are supposed to be heading to the carnival today. I suppose I am stalling a bit but not because of a ride. The simple reason is this, I hate carnivals, but, Jasper loves them so we go whenever one is in town. I lean back in my chair and smirk as I cross my arms.

"I, young man, am not afraid of anything," I say authoritatively.

He grins, "So that means you are finally going to go on it with us."

I laugh and shake my head, "nope, that's your guy's thing," I grin and motion between him and Liam. They both laugh and then Jasper moves over to the table and leans against it.

"Soooo," he drags out the word, "did dad tell you what I want for my birthday?" he asks.

"Yes, he did," I say with a sigh.

"So, what do you think?" he asks hopeful.

"I think," I stand and muss up his hair as he tries to duck out of my reach, "that you will have to wait to find out."

"Dad," he whines, "but I need to prepare if we are going to do it."

"Prepare," I say with another laugh as I walk to the kitchen where Liam now is.

Liam had told me last month that Jasper wanted to go to Seattle in late October so that he could see Chris Cornell, the lead singer of Soundgarden, who was supposed to be at some event talking about a solo album he was working on. Jasper had it in his head that he would get to talk to him. It seemed ridiculous to me to fly all the way to Seattle on the off chance Jasper could meet this guy but Liam pushed me towards it.

"I'm writing a song, I don't know, maybe he could use it," Jasper says confidently.

Liam smiles at me and nods a minuscule amount; I turn to Jasper, "You're writing a song, huh?"

Jasper nods.

"Well, I guess you have a month to finish it then," I say casually taking a sip of the coffee I just poured.

Liam and I watch as realization crosses over his face and he literally screams and starts to run back to his room and then stops midway and darts back to us, grabbing us in a giant hug as he mutters _thank you, thank you, thank you_, over and over again.

As he takes off again I holler, "I thought you wanted to go to the carnival?"

"Let's go tonight, I need to work on this," he says just as his bedroom door shuts and moments later we hear him strumming his guitar.

"I think he is happy about that," I grin and feel Liam come up behind me.

"He is," he whispers, hot and heavy near my ear. "Are you done with your work?" he asks as his hand moves over my crotch. I nod slightly as he undoes my jeans and slips his hand quickly inside, "I want to fuck you so bad right now."

He tilts my head to the side and his mouth is on me moments later. It's been almost three weeks since we have been intimate, as work and daily life has gotten in the way. His kiss intensifies as he pushes my pants down.

"Liam, baby," I start but he sticks his fingers in my mouth which I proceed to suck, purely out of habit. After a few moments he removes his fingers and pushes me forward over the counter.

"Baby, what about Jasper?" I expel breathlessly as his fingers enter me.

"He's pre-occupied with his song, he won't come out of his room, besides," he lets out a raspy breath, "baby, I'm so fucking hard I'm probably gonna come the minute I get inside that ass of yours," he growls as he pulls his fingers out.

The tips of my fingers grip the opposite end of the bar as I prepare for him to enter. Seeing my position he lets out a deep groan and I feel the tip of his cock at my entrance. He pushes into me slowly, breathing in deeply. I don't even remember the last time he actually fucked me as the last several times we have had sex I was the one on top. Stealing a glance over my shoulder I catch his beautifully flushed face. He is chewing on his bottom lip as he watches his cock move in and out of me, his forehead creased sexily as he tries to keep a slow and steady rhythm.

"You feel so good inside me, baby," I rasp out and his gaze meets mine.

We lock eyes; the fire that is always present between us ignites as he starts thrusting into me harder, faster. My mouth parts slightly as I become overwhelmed by the sensations he always elicits within me.

"Te amo," I breathe out.

He moves one of the hands from my hips and brings it to my face, "always, I'll love you, always."

.

.

.

We have been here for just over three hours and Jasper is still wound up. He has been on every ride at least twice, the Zipper four times. At this point, I want to go home. Liam has been utterly fuckable all damn day and I really need some alone time with him. He and I are holding hands as we walk towards the midway, Jasper several steps ahead of us. We have noticed a few looks here and there but generally speaking no one seems to be paying attention to us. Suddenly Jasper jumps in front of us, stopping our movement.

"Can I have cotton candy?" Jasper asks while bouncing up and down.

Liam immediately starts shaking his head but I place my finger on his lips and move close to his ear, "baby, let him have some fun. He's the healthiest kid on the planet and some junk food is okay," I kiss his cheek and he sighs.

"You never play fair do you?" he asks with a smile.

"I know how to get what I want," I whisper huskily in his ear.

"Go ahead, Jasper," Liam says with a raspy voice.

I smirk and run my tongue discreetly along his ear, "I'm going to fuck you so hard tonight."

"Dad," Jasper says and I pull away from Liam.

I pull out my wallet and glance at Liam again who's breathing hard, "do you want anything, babe?"

He takes a deep breath and comes up to the window and orders bottled water while Jasper and I get cotton candy. We take a seat on one of the benches as Jasper talks our ears off about what he wants to see when we visit Seattle next month. Apparently he has made a list. I bring some of the melt in your mouth goodness to Liam's lips and he shakes his head.

"Open," I order and he arches his brow but still opens his mouth.

"I'm going on the Zipper again," we hear and then Jasper takes off.

"You are very feisty tonight, El," Liam says swallowing the cotton candy I placed in his mouth.

"I can't help it. You got me all riled up this afternoon," I smile as I kiss him softly, "mmmm, you taste so good."

He hums lightly against my lips. I have been so worked up since we had sex but unfortunately, just before he was going to give me head we heard Jasper come out of his room so we had to quickly get presentable. If Jasper hadn't been talking a mile a minute he might have noticed our disheveled appearance. Instead he spent the next couple of hours schooling us on Chris Cornell, his music, songwriting, you name it. I now know way more about the man then I ever cared to know. I swear sometimes Jasper sounds exactly like Liam when he talks about music. Needless to say I didn't get a chance to be, 'taken care of' before we left and Liam walking around in these tight jeans is not helping.

Liam kisses me chastely and stands up, "come on, let's find our son." He reaches for my hand and when I stand he pulls me close to him, "I can't wait for you to fuck me, El."

I smile and wrap my arm around his waist as we walk towards the Zipper. When we get there Jasper starts motioning for us and I casually push Liam towards him. He turns and tosses me his water with a huge smile on his face and then literally jumps into the line with Jasper. I shake my head and step to the side to watch them.

Another hour goes by and Jasper is showing no signs of slowing down. "That's enough, Jasper," I say with a laugh. "You shut the thing down. Come on we still need to walk home."

"Oh yeah," he turns to Liam, "Dad, can you tell me again, why exactly are we walking when we have a car?"

Liam puts his arm over his shoulders, "Because, walking is good for you, for us."

Jasper looks at me and rolls his eyes as I shrug. Liam leans down, "I saw that mister."

Jasper snickers as we continue walking and laughing. About midway home I see five men at the end of the street. They look like they are holding bottles of beer in their hands. I glance at Liam and tilt my head slightly towards the other side of the street. We cross discretely trying not to alarm Jasper.

"Why are we crossing the street? Don't we need to turn at Central?" he asks confused.

"Short cut," Liam answers quickly.

Moving his arm from his shoulder, Liam grips his hand as I grab his other one. Jasper looks at us both, confused as Liam picks up the pace. I meet his stride but Jasper is struggling to keep up.

"Hey, faggots, where you going?" we hear loudly.

Jasper looks up at me slightly panicked and I shake my head as we continue walking. I am quickly scanning the neighborhood to see if anyone is outside but we are in a primarily commercial area. We hear the shuffling of feet and know that they have now crossed the street. Damn it! That's all we need, a bunch of drunk assholes starting some shit.

"It's a sad fucking day when queers can have kids," another voice says behind us.

"No shit, faggots shouldn't have kids."

"That's all we need, more fucking fags in the world."

I squeeze Jasper's hand tighter and glance at Liam whose face is cold and hard. I've been the victim of derogatory slurs in my life and generally speaking it's best to ignore them and keep going but I know that look on Liam's face. He's dangerously close to going off on these guys.

"Hey kid, you a faggot too," one of the men says laughing. He touches Jasper's shoulder and there is no stopping Liam.

He lets go of Jasper's hand so fast and pushes him against me as he turns to face the men behind us, "Don't you dare touch my son. Leave us the hell alone."

All the men start laughing and one of them steps forward, "looks like this queer has a bit of an attitude." He gets close to Liam, right in his face, "you think you're tough, fag?"

Liam pushes him away and all hell breaks loose. Everything happens so quickly. Suddenly the men charge. Liam sweeps one of their legs and the man falls, taking two of his friends with him while another swings. Liam ducks and starts kicking, landing several shots, basically fighting all five of them. They step back startled and he turns to me.

"El, take care of Jasper!" he yells just before he is hit.

I take a step towards him to help and three men surround Jasper and I, one reaching for Jasper. I push Jasper behind me protectively, "You touch him and I will kill you."

"I'm not afraid of you, faggot."

Liam continues to fight, kicking one of the guys, knocking him down and then hitting the other causing the three in front of me to turn quickly. I am sure they weren't anticipating fighting a Third Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. Suddenly, two of the men in front of Jasper and I, run over to help their friends leaving only one standing there. I clench my fist prepared to take this man out when he pulls a knife from his pocket and tilts his head, a wicked smile on his face. Jasper starts crying and I look past the man in front of me and see Liam get hit on the back of the head with a bottle and fall to his knees, stunned. I take a step forward again, eyeing the man in front of me.

"Un uh, faggot, first him and then you," he says waving the knife at me.

I realize that Jasper has moved to see what's happening so I push him completely behind me.

"Close your eyes, son, and cover your ears," I say in a crisp and firm voice and feel his body stiffen behind me. "Son, I won't let anyone hurt you," I say in a softer tone.

I am staring at the man before me trying to figure out what to do. I swallow thickly as I look past him again. Two men are now holding Liam while the other two are taking turns hitting and kicking him. I start breathing hard. No, No, No, No, this can't be happening, oh God, this can't be happening. What do I do? I can't leave Jasper but I can't stand here either. I blink my eyes and suddenly I see my father from my nightmares, reaching out to me.

"_Son, help me."_

I am frozen, watching my father die right before me, hearing him gasping for breath. There is a loud cry behind me which brings me back to the present. As my eyes focus again I see that Liam isn't fighting anymore and I'm not sure he is even alive. Oh God! The mere thought of that makes my entire body hurt as I start breathing funny. Jasper starts tugging on my shirt.

"Go help daddy, please, dad go help him," he pleads, in that little boy voice.

This isn't the same boy who was just educating me on the merits of grunge music. He is a little boy, afraid, wanting me to help his father. My knees feel weak as my eyes water. I can't think and I can't turn away.

"Yeah, daddy," the thug in front of me says laughing, "I'll watch your boy for you. Hell, if he's gonna be raised by faggots he might as well become one."

I take a deep breath and grab Jasper's shoulders behind me, positioning him as close to me as I can and take a couple of steps back. As I look passed the sneering man before me I see Liam on the ground. There are now three people kicking him. My face contorts and I can't breathe. No, God, please, no, I can't lose him, please God, no. Liam lets out some weird gasping noise and suddenly his body goes completely still.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" I fall to my knees, an agonizing scream escaping my throat.

I vaguely hear sirens in the background and footsteps running away. My eyes start blinking slowly as lights start flashing around us. Oh God! I jump up and run towards Liam, dropping down next to him. I place my fingers at his neck and bring my ear to his heart and can't hear anything, the only thing I do hear is Jasper screaming behind me. I look at Liam's face and it's swollen and covered in blood.

"Liam, baby, don't leave me, please," I cry as I start CPR, "Please baby, don't leave me. I can't do this without you."

"Is daddy okay?" Jasper cries hysterically.

I bring my fingers to Liam's neck again, still not feeling anything. I start shaking my head and begin CPR again, "Baby, please, stay with me, honey," I place my ear against his chest and think that I might hear a faint beat, I don't know, maybe that's just wishful thinking.

"Daddy," Jasper says meekly behind me.

"Oh God, Liam, baby, I love you, I need you," I cry as I start pounding on his chest again, "I can't… I can't do this. Don't leave me, baby, please, please, please."

"Move out of the way, sir," I hear next to me.

I fall back and out of the way, letting the EMT work on him. My body feels numb as I glance to the side and see Jasper cowering, his legs are drawn up and he's rocking back and forth, his body shaking with the force of his tears. I turn to Liam lying on the ground in front of me. My heart, my soul, the air that I breathe is wrapped up in him and I know I'll never be okay if he doesn't make it, never. I take a deep breath in and crawl to Jasper, lifting him onto my lap and cradling him in my arms.

"It'll be okay, son," I say blankly, feeling a darkness envelope my being.

* * *

**A/N… ummm, no words right now *sniffle***


	28. Chapter 28

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Special thank you to DanceWithMeTonight for checking my Spanish translation**

**So, ummm, everyone okay?**

* * *

**Chapter 28**

"What do you mean you don't know how long he's going to be out?" I yell. "What the hell kind of doctors are you?"

"Sir, you need to calm down," he says frazzled.

He motions for me to step outside, "we are doing everything we can for him but…" he pauses.

"But what!" I seethe.

"Mr. Whitlock has suffered a great deal of injuries including severe head trauma. We have contained his internal bleeding but we won't be sure if he has any permanent damage until he comes out of the coma. That could be anywhere from 72 hours to never. There is no conclusive time frame I can give you. But rest assured he's getting the best care possible."

I glare at him, "Is that so?" I huff and try to control my breathing because I am fighting the urge to deck this man. My eyes narrow, "well, maybe he needs to be in a better facility."

"That is of course your prerogative, sir, but I wouldn't recommend it. Any unnecessary movement right now could be detrimental to his recovery."

"Dr. Sampson, you have a call."

"Excuse me, Mr. Whitlock," I wave him off and begin pacing, up and down the hallway.

"Sir, can I help you?" an orderly comes up to me, touching my shoulder.

I push him back, "Leave me the fuck alone."

My hands go into my hair as I step into the nearest room which looks like a waiting room. I need to calm down but I can't. We've been here for three days now and in that time I have been completely distraught, spending my entire time glued to Liam's bed or arguing with these doctors that can't give me a straight answer about anything. There was no way I was leaving though, no fucking way at all. But just now when the doctor couldn't answer a simple question all that grief turned into something else, rage, unbridled rage. I'm angry at everyone, the doctors who can't fix Liam and the men who actually did this to us. I want those bastards that did this dead, all of them. I have the means and the will. Hell, maybe Bobby can help me. I know what they look like and Bobby has connections with gang members and other undesirables. My fists are clenching as I pace like a caged animal. I am vaguely aware of a couple in the room but I don't give a shit. All I can see are the men that hurt my love, my life.

"They will die."

"I'm going to find them."

"I will kill them."

"I'm going to do it fucking slow so they suffer."

"They will die, all of them, every last fucking one of them."

"MIJO!" I hear my mother shout.

I turn around quickly, seeing mom standing in the doorway with Jasper clinging to her side. I hurry over there and grab him, lifting him into my arms. He immediately wraps his arms around my neck and legs around my waist, like he used to when he was little. The boy is long and lean, just like I was at his age and way too old to pick up like I did but I don't care and the way he is holding onto me I don't think he cares either.

"What are you talking about? Killing people?" Mom asks angrily.

"They deserve to die for what they did."

"That is not your decision to make, Eleazar. You think I don't know what it's like to have someone you love hurt? But it's not our place to seek revenge, only God can punish the wicked."

I start shaking my head crazily. I can't believe she just said that to me.

"Where was _God_ when THAT happened?" I yell and shift Jasper to my side as I point in the direction of Liam's room. "Huh, mama, where was he?"

I am glaring at her. How dare she come here and tell me to let this go, to let God fix this. Mom is staring at me, not answering so I continue on my tirade.

"Where was he, because, he sure as hell wasn't there with us when we fucking needed him? Oh right, God doesn't care about people like us?" I yell even louder.

I know technically mom doesn't feel that way about Liam and I anymore but an angry mind will say anything that will hurt. Mom pulls her rosary beads out and starts praying. Perfect, just… fucking… perfect. I laugh some crazy fucking laugh. I know it must be scary because I can feel the change in Jasper's body as he stiffens slightly. I turn around and set him in one of the chairs while I begin pacing again.

"What good will you do in jail?" mom says loudly, getting my attention. "You would leave my grandson with no father?" she says raising her voice. "You would leave Liam, the man you say you love, right when he needs you the most. You would abandon your family? For what, Mijo? What!" she continues to yell at me. "Tell me how this will benefit ANYONE?"

I stop pacing and drop to my knees, bringing my face into my hands. I start crying so hard that my entire body starts trembling. The sounds echoing in the room don't sound like they are coming from me but I know that they are. My heart hurts and I can't breathe, all I can do is sob. I can hear Jasper crying as well but I can't move. I can't do anything as I let out a scream that shakes me at my core.

"_I love you, I love you, I love you."_

"_What other naughty things do you do to me in your dreams?"_

"_El, you're everything to me."_

"_I want a family with you."_

"_Always, I'll love you, always."_

"Let me take Jasper with me." I hear mom say, drawing me out of my sorrow.

I look up, my face hard, "NO!"

"You're not thinking right, Eleazar, and you're not taking care of him. Do you even know where he was?" she asks sternly.

I close my eyes because really I have no idea. I have been so out of it that I haven't been a very good father. In fact, I have been a horribly neglectful father.

"I found him lying in the bed with Liam. Mijo, that's not good for him. He shouldn't have to see his daddy like that and he shouldn't have to see you like this."

I keep shaking my head as I look at the ground, tears streaming down my face. She doesn't understand. I can't be without Jasper. He's a part of me and Liam, I need him, and more importantly Liam needs him. If he wakes, no, when he wakes, he will want Jasper. We are a family, we have to be together.

"When was the last time he ate something or took a bath?" she asks, raising her voice. "Has he even changed clothes? Mijo, you can't care for him right now. Let him come with me."

I stand up and walk back to Jasper, lifting him into my arms again.

"My son stays with me."

"Mijo, yo se que estas sufriendo, pero estas descuidando a mi nieto. Quiero cuidarlo y cuando esten listos, puedes venir a buscarlo," she says softer.

"MY SON STAYS WITH ME!" I yell and feel Jasper bury his head in my shoulder.

I sit down, holding Jasper against me, cradling him against my heart. I feel the seat shift next to me and know my mother has sat down. She brings her arm around my shoulder, leaning against me as she gently strokes Jasper's hair.

"Mijo, you need help. If you won't let him come with me maybe you could ask someone to help you. Maybe Siobhan could come and stay again. Have you talked to anyone? Does his family know he is in here?" she asks softly.

I shake my head and then look at her confused, "how did you know we were here?"

She motions to Jasper, "he called me but all he told me was that some people hurt his daddy."

I nod and kiss the top of his head and turn back to my mom, "will you stay with Liam while I take Jasper home?" I feel tears falling again, "we need to change clothes and I don't want to leave Liam alone."

She touches my face lovingly, "of course, Mijo."

.

.

.

"Take a really long shower, okay?" I say when we walk into the house.

He nods and immediately walks back to his room to get a change of clothes while I go to the bar and pour a shot of whiskey. Downing it quickly, I pick up the phone and walk to the entertainment center, finding the album I want. I smile and run my fingers along the cover before putting it on. I close my eyes as Etta James fills the room and sweet memories flood my mind. I walk to the sofa in a daze, finally looking at the phone before hitting the speed dial, hoping she isn't working.

"_Brother," she says excitedly, "I don't know why but I've been so worried about you."_

_I cringe, my heart beating fast._

"_Hello?"_

"_Siobhan, this is Eleazar."_

_She gasps, "What happened to my brother?"_

_I start crying._

"_Eleazar," she says firmly, "Where's my brother?"_

"_In the hospital," I say in a whimper, "We were assaulted walking home from the carnival."_

"_Oh, God! Is he okay? Is Jasper okay?"_

"_Jasper's fine but Liam isn't. He's in a coma Siobhan, they don't know if he has any permanent brain damage," I pause gasping through my tears, "Please, I need your help. My mom wanted to take Jasper with her but I can't, I can't let him go. I know I should because I'm really messed up right now but I can't, please, god please, come and help him, I don't know what to do, I can't think, I… I need Liam, I can't function right, I don't, I can't do this without him," I say quickly in one long breath, wheezing throughout and ending with more tears._

"_I'll be on the first plane out," she says calmly._

"_Thank you," I mumble, "can you tell everyone, I… I don't think I can."_

"_Yes, I will," she pauses "Eleazar, my brother will be okay, I promise, he'll be fine," she says serenely and with purpose._

_I nod even though she can't see me, "I better go, I need to shower and make something for Jasper to eat. Liam will be upset with me if I buy him fast food," I ramble._

"_I'll see you soon," she says brightly._

I hang up and walk into the kitchen, looking through the fridge for something I can make. God! I wish Liam liked leftovers. I frown and then remember he had frozen some of the homemade ravioli he made a few weeks ago. I smile. Jasper really liked it. I pull it out and put it in the sink, running warm water over it. Knowing that Liam would want Jasper to have a vegetable I scour through the vegetable bin and find fresh green beans I can steam. With a heavy sigh I start making the food. My mind is clouded as I see Liam moving about in the kitchen, his kitchen, smiling gleefully as we visit about our day. God! What am I going to do if he doesn't come out of this? I hear movement in the hall and take a deep breath, trying to hold it together.

"You cooked," Jasper says hoarsely as he sits down at the table.

I smile and set his plate in front of him and mine in front of my regular seat. I run my hand over his wet hair and kiss the top of his head before sitting down. Jasper takes a deep breath and starts eating. I am picking at the ravioli, trying to ward off the emptiness that is threatening to take over.

"Your aunt Siobhan is coming to stay with us for a little bit," I say forcing myself to eat something.

He looks up at me, "you called, my…" he hesitates, "my mom."

We have never called her that but one of his cousins had told him when he was seven. That was an awkward conversation but we told him that although technically she was his mom we were his parents. He generally calls her Aunt but once in a great while he uses the term mom. I suppose at a time like this he wishes he had a mom to nurture him or hell, anyone would be better than a non-functional ghost of a man. Liam is the nurturing one in our relationship. He always knows what to say or do that will make Jasper feel better. I feel tears forming again. It should have been me instead of Liam. Liam wouldn't have forgotten to feed our son. He would have still taken care of him.

"Dad," Jasper says softly bringing me out of my misery.

"Yes, your mom," I say looking at Liam's seat. I set my fork down and stand, "Finish up, Jasper, I'm going to shower."

He nods as I walk away. Entering our bedroom I go directly into our bathroom. I am actually shocked because I don't recognize the man I see before me. My hair is completely disheveled, my clothes are wrinkled and I have serious bags under my bloodshot and swollen eyes along with three days' worth of facial hair. I blink a few times and breathe in deeply. I've read stories about old couples that when their spouse dies they pass soon after. I always thought that was bull shit but not anymore. I used to think that I was very independent but this situation has made me painstakingly aware that without Liam I can't function correctly. My reflection clearly illustrates only half a man. For Jasper's sake I hope that doesn't turn into half a father as well.

~LoN~

Liam has been in a coma for six and a half days. The doctors have been mumbling about it not being good. That they thought he might have come out by now. Siobhan, Liam's mother and father and three of his brothers arrived very early Wednesday morning. In addition, mom let everyone in the family know on Tuesday when Jasper and I got back to the hospital. Bobby was the first to arrive late Tuesday night and has been a permanent fixture here. In addition, my aunts have made sure everyone has been fed, taking turns bringing food up to everyone. Even Carmen stopped by to check on us and see if we needed anything. I don't know how long she stayed as I didn't actually speak with her. I wasn't speaking to anyone really. Bobby and Siobhan have taken on their role as Jasper's godparents with vigor. They have been keeping him occupied as well as fed and clean. He is never out of their sight. I have left only once since I took Jasper home to shower and change and that was Wednesday morning to go into my office to let Mr. Wilson know that I wouldn't be in for a while.

_I briefly thought about doing this over the phone but I need to see him in person. I don't want there to be a problem as I have no idea how long I will be out and I have a case that goes to court next week. I left Jasper with Siobhan and Bobby and arrive a few minutes after 8:00 a.m. I actually slip inside unnoticed. It's funny how everyone is so accustomed to seeing me in suits that they totally ignore me in jeans and a t-shirt. I don't know if that is good or bad but I don't have time to analyze it. I walk up to Sophie and she looks at me in shock._

"_Is Mr. Wilson with anyone?" I ask._

_She shakes her head, "Mr. Whitlock, are you okay?"_

_I take a deep breath and shake my head, "No, I'm not."_

_I walk away from her and knock on Mr. Wilson's open door. He looks up from his desk curiously._

"_Eleazar, you look like hell, are you alright? We have been trying to reach you. It's not like you to not show up for work. I was worried."_

"_I'm sorry I didn't call," I take a deep breath, "Rich, I need to take indefinite leave."_

"_Why?" he asks, motioning for me to sit._

_I sit on one of his chairs and look to the ground, taking another deep breath._

"_Saturday, my family was assaulted on our way home from the carnival. Liam is in the hospital. He was," I close my eyes tightly; "he was beaten pretty badly and is still in a coma. I don't know what's happening but I won't leave him," I say determinedly._

"_Christ! Eleazar that was you?" he asks and I look up confused._

"_What do you mean?"_

_He comes around the desk, "There was a report on the news about another possible hate crime but the names were withheld." He shakes his head and sits down next to me, "Eleazar, I am so sorry, if there is anything you need, please, you must call. Take as much time as you need."_

_I nod and swallow hard, fighting back the tears._

"_I have my research on the Woodward case at my home. I'll, umm, gather it up and have someone bring it to you," I look down, feeling overwhelmed._

_Mr. Wilson touches my shoulder, "Don't worry about that. We'll take care of work; you take care of your family. That is more important right now," he says sincerely._

_Tears streak my cheeks as I rise to leave._

"El," I hear my name said roughly and blink several times.

"El," I hear a little louder.

I turn to the bed. Liam's eyes are closed but he's moving around causing all the monitors to go crazy. I pull the side railing down and run my hand over his, trying to calm him down.

"I'm here, my love," I whisper, trying to hold back the swell of emotions I am feeling at the moment.

He starts breathing fast, "I can't open my eye," he says in a panic.

"I know baby, it's still pretty swollen," I say kissing his lips, my tears falling on his face, "I was so scared I lost you," I rest my forehead against his, "I'm so sorry."

"This wasn't your fault," he whispers and starts coughing.

"Stop talking, let me get the doctor," I say standing up.

"Wait, is Jasper okay?" he asks concerned.

"He will be now," I smile for the first time in almost seven days, "I'm going to get him."

I run out of the room and Jasper is with Siobhan and Bobby in the hall. He glances my way and it's like he knows because he drops his water bottle and runs to me. I grab him in my arms and spin him before turning towards the nurse.

"He's awake," I say and then push through the door.

"Jasper?" Liam asks really low and gravelly.

"I'm here," Jasper replies, unable to stop his tears.

I sit down and put Jasper in front of me and at the same time we both wrap our arms around him. There is a lot of activity going on around us but we don't care. We are together, Liam is awake, and with that my heart is full again. The empty piece of my soul is suddenly filled and the sense of belonging I felt the day we met is firmly in place. My world is complete once more.

* * *

**A/N… Phew! That was intense. My boys, my family, reunited. Is it any wonder they are so damn close and why Jasper refuses to be away from his parents? Well, folks we are winding down, a few more chapters to go **

**Spanish Translation:**

**Mijo, yo se que estas sufriendo, pero estas descuidando a mi nieto. Quiero cuidarlo y cuando esten listos, puedes venir a buscarlo. - Son, I know you are suffering, but you are neglecting my grandson. I want to take care of him and when you're ready, you can come get him.**


	29. Chapter 29

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Oh man, poor El, poor Jasper, poor Liam, what a nightmare the last two chapters were for everyone *sigh***

* * *

**Chapter 29**

"El, please, talk to them," Liam pleads.

My forehead creases as I watch him. He's been in the hospital for three weeks. He was in a coma for almost seven days and they have already kept him for another fourteen, I know this because Liam is counting. Every test they have run so far has come back indicating no internal damage or permanent brain injury although he does have some short term memory loss. Primarily the fight, he remembers up to being hit on the head but not much after that, thank god, because that's where the fight stopped being a fight and turned into an assault. We sent Jasper to school last Wednesday, much to his chagrin. He tried to argue with us but in the end I put my foot down as he had already missed the first week and a half of school. To make matters worse, for me at least, was that Liam wouldn't let us sleep at the hospital anymore which has been horrible as I can't seem to sleep well without him. Our families stayed with us until last week when Jasper started school and it was clear that Liam was recovering well. The doctors haven't said anything about him leaving but he's determined to go home. I close my eyes and try to think.

"El," he whispers, grabbing my hand, "we are not celebrating Jasper's birthday in the hospital. I won't do it. He's been through enough. I want to go home." He closes his eyes, "Please, take me home."

I nod and kiss him softly on the lips, unable to tell him no, "Let me talk to them."

.

.

.

By the time I check Liam out of the hospital and bring all the flowers and gifts inside our home it is almost time for Jasper to be let out of school. Our pattern for the last week and a half has been that I get him off to school and then go to the hospital, then go pick up Jasper from school so we can go back to the hospital until the evening. Except time has flown by today and it's too late to get him. He'll have to walk home. I help Liam into one of our recliners and then go to our entertainment center, putting on some music.

"Can I get you anything?" I whisper against his temple as Harry Connick, Jr.'s _To See You_ album streams into the room.

He shakes his head, smiling at my selection. He loves this guy. He says he is a modern day crooner similar to Frank Sinatra. We saw him and his band perform a couple of years ago on a trip we made to New Orleans. God! We had such a wonderful time. It was our second visit there. Our first time was for his work but this last time that was all us. I trace my fingertips along his face allowing my thumb to pass over his closed lids.

"Did you call the school to have them tell Jasper to walk home?" he asks as his eyes slowly open.

I nod and sit on the arm of the chair, my lips grazing his gently. His hand moves up the nape of my neck as he breathes me in, deepening our kiss. I moan into his mouth, missing the connection we always have. My heart immediately starts beating faster, I know I need to stop but I can't break away from him. Sex is out of the question of course since he is still really sore but feeling his mouth on me, his tongue tasting me, sets my body on fire.

Liam ended up with several broken ribs, severe muscle bruising in his lower back and a fractured wrist from where it was stomped on. His torso took the brunt of the assault which the doctors say actually saved his life since he was so fit. They indicated that his muscles were able to absorb a great deal of trauma before internal injuries took place. Unfortunately it also meant that he sustained a great deal of wounds that would take time to heal. I still remember the first time I saw the evidence of the attack and how gutted I felt.

"_El, shower with me," he mumbles._

"_Baby, we can't have sex," I smile over the magazine I am reading._

_He laughs and then winces in pain, "you know showers are used for more than sex."_

"_Really, are you sure about that," I chuckle because he and I have never taken a shower together where we didn't have sex. That's why if we are in a hurry we have to shower separately._

_He smirks, "at least that's what I've heard."_

_Now I laugh._

"_El, I need to shower. I feel disgusting but I don't think I can do it by myself," he says sadly._

_I nod and stand up, "hold on, let me make sure it's okay."_

_I inform them that he wants to shower and they tell me what to do to help him and then I walk back inside. He smiles when he sees me pull out his shampoo, conditioner, and body wash from the duffle bag, and then a pair of his running pants and a t-shirt. I have to chuckle. He is very particular about his grooming products. I wasn't sure when they would allow him to shower but I knew there was no way he would use anything the hospital had to offer._

"_I knew you'd never put that generic stuff in your hair," I say with a quick kiss as my fingers wraps around the curls at the nape of his neck._

"_Thank you, baby," he smiles._

_It takes us almost ten minutes to get to the shower as he is walking very gingerly. I stand behind him and untie his gown, letting it drop to the floor. My eyes squeeze shut and I rest my head between his shoulder blades. It's the first time I have actually seen the contusions covering his body. His perfect and beautiful body is more black and blue than anything else. There are distinct marks showing the indentation from the eyelets of a boot and several scrapes that resemble road burn from where his body was scraping against the asphalt as he was kicked. I come around to his front and there is bruising on his chest where he was held down and welts along his abdomen. My God! All of this happened while I stood by and did nothing. My breathing hitches and my heart races as his finger swipes under my eyes. I look up at him, my face straining in misery._

"_It looks worse than it is," he says, stroking my face._

_I nod and take off my clothes so I can get in there with him. He holds on to the railing with his good hand while my soapy hands maneuver over his tattered body. His eyes flutter closed as I caress him carefully. However, I do see him wince several times as I pass over his ribs and lower back. Bringing my mouth to his I kiss him lightly as his eyes open, looking at me with adoration._

"_I love you so much. I wasn't functional without you." I breathe in deeply, "I'll never let anything happen to you again, you and Jasper are my world. I'll protect you and him, always."_

The door burst open and Liam and I break our kiss. Jasper is sweating and out of breath as he barrels into the living room. He must have run the entire way home from school. He looks panicked and slightly disheveled.

"Dad, what's going…" he stops and drops his backpack as a wide smile crosses his face. I quickly get up as Jasper leaps on Liam.

"Jasper, careful, son," I say when I see Liam wince.

"It's okay, El," Liam interjects as he hugs him tightly, "Happy Birthday, son."

~LoN~

"You're pushing yourself to hard," I say crossing my arms.

"I'm not pushing myself hard enough," he replies, wiping the sweat from his brow and holding onto the edge, pain clearly evident on his face.

Liam's been home a little over a week and he is driving Jasper and I crazy. He won't listen to us and has tried to resume his old habits. I have been taking him to physical therapy four times a week but he says he is going stir crazy. So we decided to go to the pool with Jasper when he got home from school figuring that the water would be good for him. Of course Liam pushed himself and is now trying to pretend he isn't hurting. Jasper plops down on the edge of the pool next to him, dangling his feet in the water.

"So do I get my stubbornness from you or dad?" he asks him casually, taking a sip of water.

I smirk and Liam glances at him, "I'm not stubborn, I'm determined."

Jasper nods dramatically, "right, well, the next time you tell me I'm too stubborn for my own good I'm gonna look at you like this," he then arches his brow and gives us his best 'The Rock' impression.

"Un uh," Liam says and before Jasper can think Liam grabs him and body slams him into the water, raising his arms victoriously. It doesn't go unnoticed that his whole body stiffens in pain afterwards. Jasper comes up and immediately starts splashing water at him.

"That's not fair," he yells over the sound of water going everywhere.

Liam chuckles and grabs him, "Sorry, son, but I just laid the smack… down."

"Whatever," Jasper laughs before a serious expression passes over his face. "I think we should cancel the Seattle trip," he then looks at me, "I don't think dad should travel and I don't' want to go without him."

"What?" Liam shouts before I can say anything, "No way Jasper, we have three more weeks. I bet I'm fully recovered by then."

I look at Liam like he's nuts. There's no way he will be fully recovered in three weeks. Jasper looks down and scrunches his brow as he lays his palms over the water, moving them rhythmically to some beat only he hears. His breathing is somewhat labored which causes me some concern. I glance at Liam who is watching Jasper with apprehension. What the hell is Jasper thinking?

"Is there something else going on?" I ask nervously as I place my arm over his shoulder. He waits a long time before he finally shrugs.

"It doesn't seem that important anymore."

I look at Liam who takes a deep breath and kisses his temple, "of course it's important."

"I don't want to go," he glances at me and then Liam, "is it too late to cancel the tickets?"

I run my hand down the back of his wet hair, "how about we wait a week and see how you feel then, okay?"

He shrugs again and then nods, "but I don't think I will change my mind. I am pretty stubborn, I mean… determined," he says the last part with a slight smile.

We both smile and nudge him. We spend most of the evening down there, stopping to eat the light dinner Liam made for us and then relaxing in the Jacuzzi. By the time we go upstairs we are all exhausted.

"Go sit down, babe, I'll put everything away," I say slapping his ass and nudging him towards the couch.

Jasper turns on the television which is always set to CNN.

**Authorities in Laramie, Wyoming report that college student Matthew Shepard, may have been the target of a hate crime based on his sexual orientation. According to police reports it appears that he was pistol whipped and beaten shortly after midnight on Monday, October 7 and then tied to a fence post, presumed dead. He was discovered 18 hours later by a local cyclist who states he mistook Shepard for a scarecrow. Shepard has been taken to Poudre Valley Hospital where he remains in a coma. It is unclear at this time if he will survive his injuries. Leaders in the gay community are urging Congress to take action and …**

I click it off as images of a young man flash across the screen. As I turn to face Liam and Jasper I panic. Liam looks dizzy; he is swaying slightly, almost as if he were drunk and then he stands, haphazardly taking off down the hall. I start to go after him when I hear Jasper wheezing on the sofa and turn to see him gasping for air, his pupils are dilated and his skin is pale and splotchy. I sit next to him running my hand up and down his back, placing my other hand over his heart which is beating dangerously fast.

"Jasper, son, I need you to take a breath, please, son, you're scaring me."

I don't know what to do or what's happening to him. I need to call an ambulance. That's what I need to do. As I reach for the phone Jasper cries out and closes his eyes, his body slouching. His breathing steadies and his heart rate normalizes. What the hell just happened? I pick him up and carry him to his room, laying him down. He is whimpering but he seems to be calm. Calm enough at least so I can check on Liam. I rush towards our room and see the door to our bathroom cracked.

"Baby, are you…" I stop as I push the door open.

Liam is crouched near the toilet and I can see that he's thrown up as his shirt is covered in vomit. He isn't saying anything; in fact he isn't making any noise at all. I wave my hand in front of him but his pupils don't move. In a panic I grab one of our towels and throw it on the floor, covering up the puke that didn't make it in the toilet and then grab a washcloth, running it under warm water. I am trying desperately to control my own breathing as I grab the trimming scissors Liam has in the drawer. Dropping to my knees in front of him I start wiping his face, tears streaking my cheeks. Using the scissors I cut off his shirt because there would be no way to get that off of him without getting vomit all over his hair.

"I saw him," he says so low I can barely hear him.

"Saw who, baby?" I ask running my fingers through his hair soothingly.

He opens his eyes and they are filled with such sadness and despair that my heart actually hurts. A blinding pain shoots through me as he blinks a few times. I quickly finish wiping his face and swipe over his hands as well. He starts talking so I look at him again.

"I don't know if it was real or a bad dream but I saw Jasper's face when I was, dying, he was screaming," I cringe and shut my eyes, "and I heard your voice telling me not to leave. Telling me that…"

He stops and I open my eyes to see tears falling down his face.

"I remember everything," he says swallowing hard.

I kiss his forehead, "Let me clean you up, baby, and then we can lay down, okay."

He nods, tears coming down in droves. I start the shower and help him undress, grabbing a pair of sleep pants from the bedroom before getting in with him. I spend the next 30 minutes cleaning him and then the bathroom because I know his propensity for cleanliness and that if he saw the bathroom in such disarray he would probably be completely distraught. He has a vacant look on his face as he sits on the edge of the bathtub while I maneuver a towel over his hair, massaging his scalp as I dry it. Once his hair is sufficiently dried I kneel down in front of him.

"I love you, Liam," I say with a quick kiss.

His eyes close again and his face strains before he pulls me to him, wrapping his arms around my neck. His head drops to my shoulders and I can feel the weight of his tears as he relives the worst night of our life. I wish I was strong enough to lift him up and carry him like I did Jasper but that will never happen. Instead, I hold him to me and let him cry until his body stops shaking and then I lead him into our bedroom.

"Is, is he okay?" Jasper asks in tears.

"Scoot to the edge, son," I tell him.

He immediately moves over but continues to face us. I lead Liam to the bed and have him get in the middle. His arms enfold Jasper immediately. I lay behind Liam and throw my arms and legs over his, bringing my body flush to his back. Both of them are silently crying, their bodies in sync with one another and I feel my heart shatter a little bit more. The two most important people in my life are broken, broken because I wouldn't leave, because I didn't protect them.

"I think it's time we move. Texas has nothing to offer us but continued pain. I love you both too much to put you through that," I say with determination.

* * *

**A/N… Ahhh, yes, time to move isn't it? So Jasper had his first panic attack and Liam's memory returned, both triggered by the Matthew Shepard case. Most of you know what happened with this case but for those that don't, on October 7, 1998, Matthew Shepard was beaten and tied to a fence post in Wyoming. He died five days later from his injuries. It raised a lot of debate on hate crime legislation as most legislation did not include sexual orientation in the wording so that perpetrators of violent acts against gays, lesbians, and transgendered people could not be convicted of a hate crime which held stiffer penalties. In 2009 President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act which included LGBT communities. I put a video and some information on the blog related to the Matthew Shepard Foundation as well as some resources for anyone interested in taking a stand against violence. **


	30. Chapter 30

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Yes, let's get the hell out of Texas, shall we?**

* * *

**Chapter 30**

It's Tuesday, October 13th, the day after Matthew Shepard died and the first time I am leaving Liam at the house without me. He didn't want to come today. In fact, he hasn't left the house since we took Jasper to the doctor on Friday morning, the day after the Matthew Shepard case broke. We were told that Jasper was fine and that he had a panic attack. He's twelve years old. I didn't know kids could get panic attacks. The doctor said he could prescribe Jasper medication to help but Liam vehemently objected. In all honesty, so did I but there was a small part of me that wasn't completely opposed to it. It was different for Liam; he didn't see Jasper having one. If there was something I could have given him at that moment I would have. But, I did agree with Liam because Jasper is too young to be given psychotropic medications. He then gave us a referral to a local child psychologist. The three of us spent the entire weekend inside. Liam was obsessed with the news and watched CNN nonstop. When they announced that Matthew Shepard had died, I had enough. I banned the set from being on but I'm sure he is watching it right now.

"Mr. Whitlock, how's Liam?" Sophie asks as I walk into the reception area.

"He's healing, thanks for asking," I say.

"Mr. Wilson is expecting you Mr. Whitlock, go on back," she smiles.

I head back and immediately walk into Mr. Wilson's office. He waves me inside and rises from his chair smiling and to my surprise Mr. Montgomery rises as well. I can't help but be happy as he walks over to me and instead of shaking my hand like he normally does he hugs me tightly. Something he's never done to anyone that I'm aware of.

"Eleazar, I am so sorry to hear about Liam. What the hell is wrong with the world?" he asks sincerely.

"I wish I knew," I reply with a sigh.

"He got the flowers?" he asks.

"Yes, thank you, that was very kind," I look at him strangely. "Why are you here, John?"

He laughs, "I was with Rich when you called and asked to meet today. You were somewhat ominous and my curiosity got the better of me," he shrugs apologetically; "I hope you don't mind."

"No, it's fine." I say with a nod.

We walk inside, sitting on the chairs before Mr. Wilson's desk. Washing my hands over my face, I sigh deeply, trying to figure out how to start this. But when I look at the two concerned men in front of me I am overcome with emotions. These men are not just colleagues; they are friends, friends who have always supported me, always stood up for me, and never judged me or Liam. If I can't trust them who can I trust? John rubs my shoulders lightly and speaks in a gentle and fatherly way.

"Eleazar, has something happened?" he asks.

"My family is having a very difficult time. My son is having panic attacks and Liam is going through some sort of, I don't know, he wakes up in a cold sweat, screaming, he won't leave the house, sometimes he just stares off," I take a deep breath trying to control my emotions. "As much as I hate to say it, I think our time in Texas is over."

John and Rich look at each other and then me, "You're quitting?"

"I have to think about my family and with the Matthew Shepard assault; it's triggering all these… memories, in both Liam and our son. I…" I close my eyes remembering the reactions of both Liam and Jasper as the reports piled on and more details were revealed. "I have to take care of them. I didn't protect them before and I…" I pause, feeling tears trying to break through, "I won't do that again. I will do what's best for my family."

They both nod in agreement. I knew they would understand.

"Do you know what you are going to do?" Rich asks with genuine concern.

I shake my head, "I don't know yet. I have spent most of my career in this firm," I frown, not really sure what my next steps are. I look at them both hopeful, "If either of you could possibly lead me in the right direction, I would be extremely grateful."

"I have some friends in California," John offers.

~LoN~

It took us two months to get things situated with moving. Liam never went back to work but the company he helped start would still be run by one of the other accountants. I wasn't in a rush to have him working again though as I wasn't sure he was ready for that besides it didn't make sense for him to go back when we were preparing to leave. We considered moving to San Francisco because Liam and I both loved it so much but there were no practices willing to give me what I wanted and I had no desire to start my own. That would have required a lot of networking and long hours to build up and I didn't want to spend that amount of time away from my family. No, I wanted to step right into something. I didn't mind starting lower on the food chain because I knew I would work myself up rather quickly.

John's friends had a practice in Los Angeles which I was adamantly against moving to. Although I knew the work would be good, I had no desire to move my family to a large city like that. Through friends of John's friends, I narrowed it down to two practices, one in Long Beach and the other in Bakersfield. In order to make the decision we decided to spend the Veteran's Day Holiday in California so that we could take Jasper with us and not have to rush back since he had a couple days off school. After visiting both locations we decided on the smaller community of Bakersfield with the mountains nearby.

Next came house hunting. We spent hours perusing the various neighborhoods and were lucky enough to find a nice four bedroom house we all loved. It has a very large fenced in backyard that has a lot of potential. I already envision a swimming pool and a Jacuzzi, possibly some fruit trees like mom had behind our house in Corpus Christi. The house was vacant when we found it and the owners were more than willing to accept our very generous offer.

"That goes in the master bedroom," I hear Liam directing the movers. "Jasper, are you sure you want that room? The room next to ours is a lot larger."

He smiles and taps Liam's shoulder, "I don't want my room next to you guys."

I nearly choke on my water. He then laughs as he walks down the hall to tell the movers where he wants his things. Liam glances at me and shakes his head before turning back around to supervise. Apparently we never perfected the whole being quiet thing. The move itself has gone off without a hitch. Much to Liam's dismay, I hired a mover to pack all of our things because, although he was much better now, I didn't want to stress him out and I didn't want to spend our time packing things up. If that were the case I probably would have ended up setting the whole thing on fire because moving is not something I enjoy. The movers left on Friday while we flew out and stayed in town. They arrived Sunday morning and we immediately got to work. Our goal is to get everything unpacked and situated before we fly to Ireland. Instead of our usual two weeks we are only taking one so we have five days to get things unpacked and settled. We have already stocked the cabinets with food and supplies and the fridge is partially filled as we didn't want to throw away food when we left for Ireland. Jasper will start school the day after we return from Dublin and I will start work the following Monday.

"If you want we could tear down this wall so your room will be bigger?" I say sitting on Jaspers bed and tapping said wall.

"Dad, it's fine," he says lining his CD's up near his stereo system.

"Are you sure? Maybe we could build a doorway into the other room. It's smaller so it could be a music room for you to practice in."

He shakes his head, "I don't think I will be practicing much to warrant a music room."

I sigh and glance at his guitar case which he hasn't touched since September.

"Maybe we could check out a music store, new home, new guitar," I say trying to encourage him but he shakes his head again.

"Do we have to go to Dublin this year?" he blurts out sadly.

"You don't want to go?" I ask in total surprise because Jasper always looks forward to our trip to Ireland.

He shrugs, "everyone will ask about… you know, and, ummm, I don't want to talk about it."

I stand and walk over to him, resting my hand on his shoulder, "they won't say anything, son. They know how hard it was on us and they won't want us to feel bad. They do want to see us though, and, well, dad only gets to see his family once a year and we don't want to deny him that, do we?"

Jasper shakes his head, "No, I'm sorry, you're right." He turns and wraps his arms around me, hugging me tightly.

"I love you, Jasper. I'll make sure nothing bad happens to us again. I'll always protect you, remember that, okay?"

He nods and I kiss the top of his head, "Dad's getting ready to start cooking so you probably have about forty minutes before we eat our first meal in our new home."

He grins, "Okay, I'm almost done."

"Alright," I say messing up his hair and laughing as he tries to duck out of my reach.

I don't know why he even tries anymore. He knows Liam and I love mussing up that wild hair of his. I step out of the room and Liam is leaning against the wall, tears are coming down his cheeks but he isn't crying. I touch his face lovingly and his eyes close as he breathes in deeply. My lips find his all of their own accord.

"I love you," I whisper and he nods.

"I love you, too," he kisses me softly and then steps towards Jasper's room.

~LoN~

Our trip to Ireland has been more difficult than I thought it would be. Liam and Jasper have been inseparable which in and of itself is not a bad thing. We have always been very close but this seems different as there appears to be an underlying fear present. There has also been a somberness everywhere we go; even Liam's normally voracious brothers are more subdued.

"Jasper, go ahead. We'll be right here when you get back," I say running my hand down his anxious face.

"Son, please, I'm alright," Liam interjects.

Patrick and Margaret are running into town and asked Jasper if he wanted to go. He immediately said no but we want him to get out of the house. He can't be glued to our hip. He needs to know that things will be okay. It's weird because he seems to handle school fine but this, I don't know, this actually scares me a bit. We have been trying to convince him for ten minutes but he is hesitant.

"Are you sure?" he finally asks.

I smile and pull out my wallet, "yes, we're sure. Hey, can you buy us some of those candies we like. You know the one with honey in it."

He nods and looks down, smiling brightly. We always buy Crunchies when we visit because Jasper and I love them and it is one of the few candies that Liam doesn't fuss about either of us eating. I glance at Liam who is finally smiling.

"Come on Jasper," Patrick says messing up his hair.

Jasper turns to us once more and then steps out with his uncle. I wrap my arm around Liam and he leans against me. He breathes in deeply as I bring his chin up and kiss him softly on the lips. He seems to melt against me and I immediately want to deepen our kiss, unfortunately, the moment doesn't last long as the door swings open loudly, drawing everyone's attention to it.

"Something's wrong with Jasper," Sammy says and moments later Patrick is carrying Jasper into the room.

"I don't know what's wrong with him. I barely started the car when he began, I don't know, hyperventilating or something," Patrick says in a panic.

"Bring him to me," I say and Liam separates from me as Patrick places Jasper between us.

"Should we take him to a hospital?" Margaret asks with immense concern.

I shake my head while I get on the floor. Jaspers head is resting on Liam's lap and his eyes are squeezed shut. His chest is heaving and he is gasping for breath. I begin whispering in his ear and place my hand over his rapidly beating heart. Liam is gently running his fingers through his hair and whispering to Jasper as well. Soon Jasper's breathing regulates and moments later he is quietly crying as he turns to face the back of the couch. Liam starts running his hand along his back, gently caressing him while I stand and sit back down. I bring his legs over my lap and only then notice our family. They all look stunned and afraid.

"He's fine," I say reassuringly as I slip his shoes off and gently rub his feet.

~LoN~

"Jasper we should go," I say, taking another sip of my coffee.

"Maybe I shouldn't go, maybe only one of us should be there," Liam says pacing nervously.

"You're his father as much as I am and…"

"I want you there. I want both of you there," Jasper says walking into the living room.

He is wearing a black Soundgarden t-shirt, underneath a green plaid button down with faded jeans and black and white checkered vans. His hair is falling down into his face and every time he pushes it back his backpack falls down his shoulder. He has a very determined look on his face; that very stubborn expression we are so accustomed to by now.

"Come on, let's go. I don't want him to be late on his first day," I say to Liam who finally nods.

.

.

.

Enrolling Jasper in school was not complicated at all. Liam is very organized and keeps all of Jasper's important papers in protective sheets in a binder. Of course we get the typical look when I cross the section for mother off and put father, listing Liam there, but no one actually says anything. As we exit the office a girl walks by and it doesn't go unnoticed by us that Jasper's eyes follow her. I can't help but smile because if I were going to pick a girl Jasper would be interested in it would probably be her. She has dark hair that has a mind of its own and the craziest outfit on, consisting of several layered tank tops with this little pink shirt over it tied to the front and stripped leggings under a denim skirt with pink cowgirl boots. Who the hell dressed this girl and doesn't she know its winter? Suddenly she stops and turns, giving Jasper a smile and I swear the girl is a bubbling mess of sunshine. Jasper's eyes shift to the ground before he turns abruptly and starts walking. We don't get very far though before the wild haired girl is bouncing in front of us.

"Are you new here?" she asks in a sing song voice.

Our normally vocal son mumbles, "Yes."

"My name's Alice. Do you want me to show you around?" she asks excitedly.

He shrugs and she immediately takes the schedule out of his hand and looks at it before squealing and bouncing in place.

"We have home room together. We better go or we'll be late," she grabs his hand and drags him in the direction she had initially been heading.

"Well, that was interesting," I say with a chuckle.

"What, sorry, I couldn't hear you. I was caught up in the whirlwind that just swept our son away," Liam says laughing.

Soon a bell rings and all the kids scatter and we are left alone in the hallway. He shakes his head laughing as I take his hand in mine, heading towards the exit. The drive to our house is quiet, contemplative. I have learned over the years that Liam can't keep anything from me. I just have to be patient as he forms the words in his head. As we step inside the house he walks straight to the couch and sits with his back against the arm, one leg outstretched on the seat and one on the floor. He pats the space in front of him. I smile and position myself between his legs, resting my back against his chest. He brings his other leg up and drapes it over mine.

"Do you think he will be okay?" he asks running his hands along my chest.

"Yes," I hum, closing my eyes and savoring the gentle stroke of his hand.

We haven't made love in a long time, since the incident in September. His injuries prevented him from sexual intimacy for the first couple of months and then after that he didn't seem interested. I didn't doubt his love or want for me but he wasn't himself. We talked about it once because he felt guilty but I told him not to worry about it. Hell, I'm not going anywhere, when he is ready, he'll let me know.

"Are we okay, El?"

My eyes open and I tilt my head to look at him, "Of course we are. Why would you ask that?"

His expression is sad and troubled, "You've been so good to me. I'm sorry I've been such a mess. I…" he closes his eyes and sighs. "I can't get it out of my head, I see it all the time," his words choke on his tears.

"I know, baby," I reach up and kiss him softly on the lips.

"I think maybe I need to talk with someone," he says hesitantly.

"That's not a problem, babe. We'll find someone that specializes in PTSD."

He is quiet for a while as I resume my position and he continues to run his hands along my chest. When his nightmares and self-imposed isolation escalated I talked to his doctor about it and he said it sounded like Liam was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. I was confused at first because I thought that was only for people who had been in combat but the doctor said they saw the same types of reactions with people who have experienced severe traumas such as rape and abuse. He suggested that Liam see a psychologist but Liam refused to talk about it. I didn't argue with him and I certainly wasn't going to force him.

"Eres mi mundo, Liam. Siempre te amaré," I whisper as my hand lies atop his.

"I love you," he whispers as he kisses along my neck.

"Forever, baby, I'm yours forever," I mutter as my hand moves into his hair.

* * *

**A/N… so, that's it folks. I will post the epi tomorrow. Of course there is more to their story but this was where I wanted it to end, in California. Our little Jasper has met his Alice and our beautiful men have weathered a very difficult storm. Who could ask for more?**

**Spanish Translation:  
****Eres mi mundo, Liam. Siempre te amaré – You're my world, Liam. I will always love you**


	31. Epilogue

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**What? is it the 1st already? nah, my computer crashed the other day and my backup laptop is acting a bit dicey so I thought it would be better to post early than not be able to post at all ANDDDDD I figured you all wouldn't mind getting this now :-)**

**This takes place in June 2012, twelve and a half years later.**

* * *

**Epilogue**

The water glistening in the summer sun is cool against my body as I cut through the water with precision, something I have done for years. I make my turn, feeling the muscles in my legs and torso flex and pull as I shift back to my final freestyle laps. I'm not arrogant enough to think that I look as good as I did in my thirty's but I know that I can still turn heads. The healthy lifestyle that Liam and I have led ensures that. Jasper still laughs about it, that although I am in my fifties I actually look ten or more years younger and often have women offering me their phone numbers. I am still thin, not quite as fit as Liam but I don't think there are many men our son's age that are as fit as Liam is. I have a spattering of gray throughout my dark hair but I think it is more noticeable when I grow a mustache and goatee than when I am clean shaven. I am actually considering doing the goatee again as Liam seems to like that look a lot. Speaking of, I see his legs go into the pool, his toes spreading in the cool water sexily. I veer so that I come up between his legs.

"Fuck!" he mutters as I break the water, placing my hands on the edge of the pool on either side of him, and stealing a quick kiss.

"Okay," I say kissing him again.

He set's our glasses of wine down and entwines his fingers in my hair, kissing me intensely. Moaning into his mouth I break away from him and lay him down on the tiled floor, running my hands down his neck and chest and laying gentle kisses along his firm stomach. This man is still the epitome of perfection. I remember when we met and I thought he was six or more years younger than me and he was only two. He has aged extremely well. The laugh lines around his eyes are the only real indicators of age on him as his hair is still dark and curly with only a small amount of silver lining the area above his ears. I slip my fingers in the band of his swim trunks pulling them down as he leans up on his elbows to watch me.

"You know it's not fair," I say tracing my fingers through the sexy trail of hair he has.

"What?" he answers, licking his dry lips.

"There are men half your age that don't look as good as you do right now."

He snorts and shakes his head, "I highly doubt that." He grins and brings his leg up and lets his toes maneuver around my lower back before tracing over my ass, "besides, you're one to talk. I see the way women respond to you in and out of the courtroom." I roll my eyes as he continues, "oh yeah, they like that strong, take charge man, that gives them that little wicked smirk before he tears a witness apart."

He brings his other foot around to massage my cock through my shorts, "of course they don't realize that this," his toes trace the outline of my now hard cock, "belongs to me."

I blink and moan before pulling myself out of the water, straddling his hips. A sexy smile passes over his face as I pull my cock out, stroking myself. He watches me for a long time and then reaches out, brushing my hand away so he can take over.

"Did Jasper say how long they were going to be at the lake?" I ask.

"Huhhh," he hums as his fingers work over my head.

"Baby, how much time do we have?" I ask, stopping him.

He looks up at me smiling, "We have all day. I doubt he'll be back before midnight." He starts moving his fingers again, "Can you handle that, El?"

"Can you?" I retort.

He laughs and sits up, wrapping his arms around me, "I can most definitely handle it."

Our mouths touch in a searing and passionate kiss. Over the years our passion for one another has never faltered. Our love never weakened. If anything it grew stronger. We've only fought with each other a handful of times. We have disagreed on things and have raised our voices from time to time but nothing out of the ordinary. I think for us, the hardest it ever was, was the first year we moved to Bakersfield.

**Twelve Years Ago**

It's April and for the first time in seventeen years Liam and I did not go anywhere for our anniversary last month. I don't know what to do. I feel so off. I thought moving to California would be good for us but I am not so sure anymore. The only person that Jasper will talk to is this Alice girl who seems nice enough but he has not tried to make friends with anyone else. In fact he has been in four fights since starting school just three months ago. And Liam seems so lost, nothing like the strong confident man I fell in love with. He just started going to a counselor a few weeks ago so I am hoping that he will connect with this one and find his bearings again. He isn't working and has not made any indication he wants to. Not that I care if he works or not as I can support our family but he always took such pride in what he did. I hate seeing him like this. My work on the other hand is going extremely well. I didn't start at the bottom at all as my reputation preceded me and allowed for quick advancement. The practice was excited to branch out and with someone like me there they knew it was a possibility. My guess is I will make full partner within the next six months.

"Something has to change," I state simply and to the point, as I look at Liam and Jasper who stop eating and glance at me. Neither says anything so I continue.

"Jasper, you can't get into fights with every ignorant asshole that says something about us. You are better than that son, so much better," he swallows and I see his eyes pooling with tears. "They're just words and the more you fight them the more they know they can get under your skin. Son, you need to trust that I won't allow anyone to hurt our family. I know that I failed you before but I'll never fail you again."

Tears burst out of his eyes and he shakes his head, unable to form any words. I turn to Liam who looks completely numb.

"Liam, I love you with all my heart but a part of you died that night and I want it back. I know I am being a selfish bastard but I miss that, I miss that spark you have always had. The way you have always made my world a brighter place to live in, it's, missing now. I don't know how to help you, baby, but I need to. We can't continue like this."

He isn't saying anything so I proceed, "you and Jasper are my world. I know this is difficult but if there's one thing I have learned, it's that the more difficult the challenge the greater the reward."

I stand and walk to him, turning him in his chair so that he is facing me. Kneeling down in front of him I place my hands on his knees, looking up at him with purpose. I can tell he is trying to fight the tears, trying to hold back the flood of emotions I see in his eyes.

"Baby, we had to fight to be together," he exhales sharply. "We had to fight to have our son," he squeezes his eyes shut tightly. "And now we have to fight for our family. Baby, please, I need you, all of you. I'll do whatever it takes but you need to meet me halfway."

He grabs me, pulling me up to him as he squeezes me tightly. I am rocked by how hard he begins crying. I don't know if I did the right thing just now but I hope so. In all honesty I would rather have him cry than to be void of all feelings. At least with the tears he is expressing something versus repressing it. I think I have spent more hours over the last couple of months researching panic disorders and post-traumatic stress than my own case files. I suddenly feel Jasper's arms around the two of us.

"I love you both so much," he says through tears. "I'm really sorry I have made things harder for us. I'll do better, I promise," he says sincerely and we both turn to him.

"Jasper, you're perfect, son," I say touching his face softly. "We're a family and we will do this together," I say looking between him and Liam.

.

.

.

The rest of the night was draining. We went to bed early, Jasper lying between the two of us. As is usually the case, they both sleep restlessly which makes me restless as well. I turn the alarm off before it has a chance to beep and head into our bathroom to shower before Jasper and Liam awaken. Standing under the hot spray I allow it to hit my back before finally washing myself and then my hair.

"I don't want to lose you," I hear as I feel Liam's fingers on my chest.

I jump, startled. "Baby, you'll never lose me. You're stuck with me for life," I say with a smile and can't help but let my eyes roam his naked body.

It's been far too long since we have been intimate and my cock is in full agreement as it comes to attention for him. His fingers trace down my body as I tilt my head back to rinse the shampoo out of my hair but stop the minute his mouth wraps around my cock. I let out a moan that comes from deep within me as my hands grasp his hair, tugging it forcefully. He takes me all the way to the back of his throat and I swear I nearly come on the spot.

"Liam, oh God, can I fuck you baby, please," I beg through ragged breaths.

He sucks me hard twice more and then stands, kissing me deeply before turning around and placing his hands against the wall. He juts his ass out and I immediately kneel before him, kissing along his cheeks before spreading them, letting my tongue circle his hole. His skin is puckering, eagerly awaiting me. I hum around his hole before darting my tongue inside, hearing his desperate moan. I start alternating between my tongue and my thumb, working him into a frenzied state before my wet cock enters him.

"Oh fuck," I growl, "you feel so fucking good."

He rests his forehead against the wall panting and moaning, "El, faster, God, yes, go, faster."

I cry out as I pump into him harder and faster but I'm unable to contain my orgasm, it's been too long and I come quickly, much too quickly. I continue to pump into him, moaning in pleasure as my come fills him before I finally pull out. I quickly turn him around and I drop to my knees, bringing his rock hard cock into my mouth. My eyes shift up and see him looking at me with the same lust filled eyes I adore. I almost want to cry, seeing him looking at me that way again. His hand moves to my face as I work his cock, doing what I know he likes and moments later I am rewarded as his back arches and I swallow all that he has to give me.

"Oh God! Baby, I'm so sorry I haven't been taking care of you," he says desperately, his eyes closed tightly.

I rise and kiss him, "Our love is stronger than sex. Yes, I have missed having sex with you but I don't need it to be happy with you or our life." I touch his face lovingly, "understand?"

He nods and kisses me again, "I love you, El, more than anything."

"The feeling is mutual, my love," I smirk against his lips, moving my body flush to his, not ready to let this moment end.

**Present Day**

Liam's arms are wrapped tightly around me. We have had the best day so far, making love several times over the course of the day. We ended up just strolling around in our boxers most of the time which was very nice. We don't get to do that anymore, not since having Jasper. We had a brilliant dinner outside, under the stars as we listened to music. A playlist he had made that reminded us of times we had shared over the years. We danced and then made love on one of our lounge chairs as Etta James played in the background. It was perfect. We just made love once again and I am fucking exhausted. We don't have sex like this very often but when we do it is always spectacular. I breathe in deeply before drifting off to sleep.

"El, get up." Liam whisper shouts as he nudges my shoulder.

"Baby, I'm tired. You know I'm not as young as I used to be."

He laughs and kisses my shoulder. "Behave old man," he says before tugging on my hair.

"Did you just call me an old man?" I ask playfully into my pillow.

"El, come on, wake up. Jasper's on the phone and he sounds upset."

That gets my attention as I roll over and look at Liam with a concerned expression, all previous playfulness gone. Okay, focus, let's see, Jasper was at the lake. Shit! What happened? Did they get in an accident? Is he hurt? Is Alice hurt? Did someone steal the jet skis? No, he would be upset but he wouldn't call in the middle of the night if it was simply a theft. No this is big, someone is hurt.

"He wants to be put on speaker," Liam says, looking as worried as I feel.

I sit up quickly and grab my glasses from the nightstand. I'm not sure why I put them on but I always wear them when I need to concentrate. I nod at Liam who brings the phone between us before hitting speaker.

"Son, what's going on? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Is Alice okay?" I rapid fire questions at him.

"Dad, I'm fine and so is Alice but a friend of mine isn't. He is in trouble and I think he will need your help." Jasper says and we can both hear the desperation in his voice.

"What friend?" Liam asks.

I am sure he is doing the same thing as me, trying to figure out who would be important enough to him to actually have him ask for help. He has never really connected with anyone here, only Alice, but he always seemed content so we stopped questioning it.

"Look dad, we were minding our own business, me and Alice and our new friends, Edward and Bella. Mike has been a shit to me all damn day, even trying to fight me but Edward stepped in…" he starts speaking fast.

"You got in a fight?" I shout.

"Mike started it, dad, but that's not the issue," Jasper says frustrated.

"Jasper, we're not upset with you," Liam says, looking at me and begging me with his eyes to calm down. "Just take a breath, son, and tell us what's happening."

Jasper takes a deep breath and starts telling us everything that transpired today. He tells us how Mike had treated Edward and that Edward was really a great guy. He said that Edward had stopped Mike when he had tried to fight him. He went on to tell us about the jet skis and the fun they had and how Edward had been honest with him about his charges. He finally told us about Mike and how he had pushed Bella and that Edward fought him and because Edward had a record he was arrested.

"What was he in prison for, Jasper?" I ask trying to decide what needs to happen.

"Statutory Rape and Aggravated Assault."

Neither Liam nor I say anything. I just look at him, trying to ascertain what his thoughts are on this. I don't know about defending this guy as I generally don't deal with cases like this and I really don't like the idea that my son is in the middle of this.

"Dad, please. He needs help. No one has ever stood up for him. You know I don't like anyone, especially around here, but I like him. He is a good person. I can feel that. Please, he had a shitty attorney back then," I have to laugh at that. "You know you would have gotten him off all together or at least gotten him less time. Mike started all this shit, dad, Edward didn't," Jasper pleads.

"I can't make any promises, son, but I will look into it," I finally say.

"YES!" Jasper shouts excitedly.

"Son, listen I can't do anything tonight and I am not sure I can even get him out but if I can it won't be until Monday. I will go see him in the morning. I am not making any guarantees but I will meet with him and make my decision afterwards. Do you understand?" I say firmly.

I glance at Liam who is already smiling. He knows as well as I do that if Jasper cares about this Edward person as much as he sounds like he does then I will help him. There isn't anything I would deny my son.

"Thank you, dad. I'm sorry I woke you guys. I'll be home a little later," Jasper says and he already sounds 100% better.

"Please do not say anything to Mike," I add before he hangs up.

I know my son and he never minces words. If he has something to say he just says it, regardless of the consequences. His propensity for speaking his mind is legendary in the family.

"I won't," he says genuinely.

"You and Alice should leave and advise this Bella person as well. If you guys make any statements to any of Mike's people it could be used against Edward. Just head home now, alright?" I say firmly, not wanting them ruining my chances of getting Edward released.

"Alright, dad. We will leave now," Jasper says with a sigh.

"Be safe, we'll see you soon," I say hanging up. I glance at Liam and sigh, "What do you think?"

"I don't know, El. I haven't heard Jasper that passionate about anyone or anything in a long time. So, my thoughts are we hear him out. You are able to read people well. You'll know if Edward is a piece of shit or not. But I highly doubt that he is. Our son doesn't connect to people easily so that should account for something."

I nod, "Alright, well, they are on their way home."

He gets out of bed and stretches and I can't help but smirk at his sexiness. He slips on a pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt before smiling at me, "I'm going to start a pot of coffee."

I nod as he leans down and kisses me before walking out. I run my hands through my hair, frustrated already. I don't know what the deal is with this Edward person or what I am going to do exactly. Mike Newton is a punk, always has been and his father is notorious for bailing him out of things. If Jasper and Alice witnessed this altercation with Mike I am in trouble because I certainly don't want to put either of them on the stand. Then there is the issue with Mike's father. That bastard is as shady as they come and I know he won't let this lie. I sigh and slip out of bed to get dressed.

"What's the matter?" Liam asks as I walk into the kitchen.

"Newton, I've done well at avoiding the senator but this will put me in his sights. I'm afraid he will stonewall the case and drag our family through hell because of the conflict between Jasper and Mike."

I sit down on one of our bar stools, discouraged before I even begin. If this case had landed on my desk I wouldn't have touched it, not with Senator Newton's kid in the mix, but this is Jasper's request, Jasper's 'friend'. Shit! What the hell am I supposed to do? Liam comes around the counter and positions himself between my legs. His arms go over my shoulders and his fingers lock at the nape of my neck. He looks at me decisively.

"You are the best attorney there is. You did it without help from people like Newton AND you have lived your life honorably. There is nothing the Senator can do to change that."

I smile and wrap my arms around his waist, pulling him closer to me, "I hope you're right."

"Trust our son," he says, looking at me intensely.

"I do, babe, almost as much as I trust you," I say sincerely.

He nods and kisses me again, our passion igniting me to the core. He's right. I need to trust Jasper and then deal with whatever comes my way. I will keep looking ahead and make sure the Senator doesn't cause any problems for me, for my family or for this Edward person. I can do that. For my son and his happiness, I would do anything.

* * *

**A/N… ahhh, so that brings us full circle doesn't it? I want to thank you all so much for jumping on this journey with me and indulging in my Eleazar and Liam obsession. I absolutely adored these boys in ADH and had to write this. It really does make the connection they have in ADH much more powerful knowing what they had to go through to get there. **

**I have four outtakes planned. The first one will be posted next Friday. I know that my pre-readers and many of you have asked for Liam's POV on various things and I am happy to oblige…LOL… but if there is something specific you are curious about please let me know and I will do my best to hook ya up :-)**


	32. Outtake: Carmen Ramirez

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies :-)**

**I got several requests for Carmen. People were generally curious about what she was thinking so I picked a few things that I thought you would be interested in.**

* * *

**Outtake: Carmen Ramirez**

"Hello?" I say dropping my bags as I rush to the phone.

"Carmen, I've been trying to reach you all week," Maria says frantically.

"I extended my stay in New York, why? What's going on?" I ask suddenly worried.

"Is Eleazar dating someone?" she asks hesitantly.

I close my eyes. God! I'm really tired of everyone calling me whenever Eleazar does anything. I register what she is asking me and panic a little. Did he come out to everyone? Perfect! I kick my shoes off and walk to the bar and pour a drink, preparing for the, _did you know Eleazar was gay_, questions. I trace my fingers along the bottle of bourbon that I bought specifically for the times he was here.

"_You didn't have to buy this but thank you," he says with a quick kiss._

"Carmen?" Maria says my name loudly.

I sigh, "I don't know, Maria. We rarely talk anymore."

"Well, I think he is going out with some red headed woman."

I scrunch my eyes shut, confused as hell. "What are you talking about?"

"I was at Dr. Jensen's on Monday and I know that was him. He and some woman walked out of Dr. Jensen's office and shit, Carmen, Dr. Jensen is an OB/GYN. Do you think she was pregnant? I mean why else would he be at an OB/GYN's office?" she asks more to herself than me.

"I don't know," I reply, feeling as if I've been punched in the gut. "Hey, I really need to go. I have a lot to do before Monday. Thanks for calling."

"Carmen, do you want me to come over. I just didn't want you to hear somewhere that Eleazar was going to be a dad. I mean, if he actually is."

"It's okay, Maria. I'll, umm, call you later," I say hanging up quickly.

I plop down onto my couch and squeeze my eyes shut, remembering when I finally built up the courage to broach the subject of children with him.

_My hair is pushed to the side as his mouth moves across my shoulder. He is letting out short and breathy moans as he continues to thrust within me until he mutters several fucks and reaches his release. He pushes into me a few more times before he rolls off and drops onto the bed, slightly out of breath. He looks a bit distracted almost distant as I maneuver onto my side and wrap my arms around his chest. After a few minutes he sighs before bringing his hand into my hair. I wonder what he's thinking about. My mouth touches his chest lightly as my hand starts moving along his stomach._

"_Tonight went well," I mumble against his skin._

"_Yes, it did. Mrs. Montgomery really likes you," he says with a chuckle._

"_She was nice, drunk though," I say with a giggle._

"_Yes, I think she enjoyed a little too much champagne."_

_A few minutes pass and I take a deep breath. Just fucking do it!_

"_Eleazar?" I ask hesitantly._

"_Yeah"_

"_Do you want children?" I ask cautiously._

_His fingers stop moving, "Why?"_

_I laugh nervously, "Spoken like a true lawyer, answer a question with a question."_

_He is quiet for a long time and then I finally hear him exhale. _

"_No, I don't," he says calmly. "I'm too young and it will interfere with me achieving my professional goals. I won't be able to make partner if I'm saddled down with a child," he says straight and to the point. "I'm sorry if that's not the answer you were looking for."_

_He removes his fingers from my hair completely and takes a deep breath before sliding out from under me. Grabbing his clothes from the chair, he begins getting dressed. I sit up panicked._

"_Eleazar, don't go. I was just curious. We've never talked about things like that."_

_He tucks his shirt into his pants and walks to the bed, kissing me lightly on the lips._

"_I'm not upset, but I have a case to prepare for. I'll call you later."_

_With that he practically sprints out of my bedroom. Damn it!_

I open my eyes which are now wet with tears. So he did want children, just not with me. My breath hitches at that realization. And, where is Liam in all of this? Is he not with him anymore? If he isn't why would he go to someone else and not me? I take a deep breath and run my hand through my hair. No, I bet Liam was there. Maria probably didn't notice him because she was only focused on Eleazar with another woman.

~LoN~

Leaning against the elevator doors I check my makeup in my compact. As expected my eyes are puffy, the makeup hides it some but I am sure he will notice. He is very in tune to things like that. As the door opens and I step into the reception area I briefly debate whether this is such a good idea after all. Steadying my resolve I approach Sophie.

"Sophie, is Mr. Whitlock available?" I ask with a smile.

"Do you have an appointment, Ms. Ramirez?" she asks and I can tell she is being cautious.

"No, but I need to speak with him. Can you check to see if he is available?"

She nods, "one moment, please."

A few minutes later she tells me to go on back, that Eleazar will see me. The walk down the hall feels like it takes forever and by the time I get to his office he is already at the door.

"Is everything alright?" He asks, leading me into his office.

I sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk while he goes to sit in his.

"Is it true?" I blurt out.

"Is what true?' He asks confused.

"Are you and Liam having a… baby?"

I had surmised over the weekend that whatever was going on, Liam was definitely involved. From the first time I saw them together I knew it. He loved him. There was no getting around that and even though Liam hated me I could see that he loved Eleazar as well.

**Four years ago**

"That smells wonderful," I say as I step inside Eleazar's condo.

Eleazar immediately takes my wrap and hangs it in the closet. Liam glances in my direction, crossing his arms, his muscles flexing. Eleazar then takes my arm and walks me over to the kitchen.

"Liam, this is Carmen. Carmen, this is Liam."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," I say reaching my hand out.

Liam wipes his hand off and shakes mine. "We've actually met before," he says coolly.

"That's right," I look down slightly. "I'm sorry about that."

"Not your fault," he says turning back around. "Dinner will be ready soon."

I look at Eleazar for some guidance but all he does is shrug and walk into the kitchen. Okay, this is going to be an interesting evening. I walk to the dining room and take a seat and within ten minutes Liam has served us our food. It's very good. I am trying my best to make small talk with him, with both of them, but Liam keeps looking at me like he wants me dead. When Eleazar asks what I want, Liam gets attitude immediately and I have had enough of his bullshit. I set my napkin on the table and stand.

"You know what, never mind," I state angrily.

I start to walk away and then stop, bringing my hand to my temple and shaking my head. I turn quickly and glare at Liam. How dare he act this way? I don't deserve to be treated like this and now that fucker is actually smiling at me. I narrow my eyes and start walking back to the table.

"I wanted to help you two but you're acting like an asshole and it makes me wonder if maybe you don't care about Eleazar as much as you say you do or else you wouldn't treat his friends so poorly," I spit out angrily, waving my hands at him for emphasis.

"You're not his 'friend', Carmen," he says standing up, his voice cold and fierce.

"Yes, Liam, I am. Do I still love him? Yes, I do but he has never once looked at me or talked about me the way he has with you." I look down, mumbling in Spanish, cursing this asshole out. I mean, shit I'm trying to help here. I look up and narrow my eyes at him, "Anyway, that's not why I'm here. I'm here because he has responsibilities and you'd be an idiot to pretend that he doesn't. He wants to make partner or don't you care about his professional goals? As long as your needs are met who the hell cares about his, is that how it is?" I say viciously, getting right in his face.

"Don't you dare come in here and tell me how I presumably feel. You don't know me at all. I care about everything in El's life, his professional goals included. Why the hell do you think we're hiding around?" he raises his voice another octave. "Why else do you think I don't go to any of his work functions with him?" he yells and his face and neck are now red from his anger.

I take a breath in, trying to calm down, "I wish we lived in a world where you could attend those functions with him but that's not how it is and he needs to be visible if he wants to make partner. He can't always go alone and you certainly can't go with him."

"I know what he needs to do to advance," he fumes. "What does this have to do with you?"

"I propose that, with your permission of course, I attend these functions with him. They already know me and I know them. I can help him achieve his goals and he can help with mine as well," I say, flipping my hair over my shoulder.

He starts laughing and when Eleazar starts to say something Liam raises his hand and narrows his eyes at him. I can't believe Eleazar is letting him act this way. What the fuck is wrong with him? He would have never let anyone disrespect me before. Liam turns to me and starts speaking in a calm but hostile way.

"You're out of your fucking mind. I'm not letting him take you anywhere."

I shrug and turn to walk away, stopping at the closet to grab my wrap and purse. I turn to Eleazar once more to see if he will say anything, apologize; anything but he is just standing there looking all dumbstruck. I scowl at him. I can't fucking believe this. After all those damn years together he lets this asshole treat me like this. I slam the door shut as I walk out.

.

.

.

I wake the next morning with a major headache. Last night was a nightmare and I came home and had too much to drink. I've only been up about an hour when I hear knocking on the door. Who the hell comes this early in the morning to visit someone? I glance into the peep hole and frown. PERFECT!

"What do you want?" I say as I open the door and see Eleazar and Liam standing there.

"May we come inside?" Eleazar asks but really it is one of those demands he uses that are poised as questions.

I sigh and step aside, letting them inside. I can't help but notice that Eleazar is holding his hand, leading him inside. I frown slightly as I motion for them to sit down.

"Can I get either of you anything?" I offer and they both shake their heads.

"First off, I want to apologize for my behavior the other night. It was uncalled for." Liam starts off and turns to Eleazar who smiles at him and squeezes his hand. He turns to me again.

"We'd like to hear more of your…" he sighs, "ideas."

I chuckle and sit down on the loveseat. "It's simple really," I glance at Eleazar, "You know I have always wanted my own interior design business. I can do that through some of your connections and at the same time I will be helping you achieve your goal of making partner."

"I'm glad you've finally decided to start your business," he says and I notice Liam look down and away.

I turn to Liam, "Liam, I am asking that we come to some kind of agreement. I could be your… proxy so to speak."

He winces before nodding, "You aren't to touch him at all."

I laugh, "Yeah, that's not going to work."

"And I don't want you kissing him or…" he furrows his brow and Eleazar starts to say something and he turns to him giving him a look which stops Eleazar from saying whatever it was he was about to say.

"Look, if you are going to object to everything right from the start then what's the point of us doing this? People are used to seeing us as a couple and…"

"You aren't a couple, he and I are," he states angrily motioning between the two of them.

"Well, you can't go and I'm not going to walk in to functions looking like a fool," I say, raising my voice slightly.

Eleazar starts to say something and this time I shoot a glare his way. He sighs and leans back crossing his legs.

"So where does that leave us?" Liam asks, running his free hand in his hair.

"I should be able to hold his hand…" I stop as he shakes his head. "Honestly, Liam, what the hell am I supposed to do stand ten feet from him?"

"You can hold his arm, right here," he lets go of Eleazar's hand and demonstrates what I can do.

I laugh again, "Fine, but I think a kiss on the cheek is okay."

Once again he shakes his head, "no fucking way. Your mouth is getting nowhere near him."

Eleazar turns to him and Liam gives him that look again. Eleazar raises his hands in defeat and leans back in a huff. Oh this is actually getting fun. I have never seen Eleazar silenced by anyone. I never would have expected him to be the submissive one in the relationship since he is so damn dominant in everything. We go back and forth like this for several hours until finally coming to an agreement that would satisfy us both. As they leave and I close the door I peak through the peep hole and see Eleazar yank him to his chest, kissing him, hard and passionately. Liam grabs his face and immediately deepens the already fervent kiss. Holy shit! Eleazar never kissed me that way. I sigh and step away from the door.

**Present Time**

I hear Eleazar shift bringing me out of my memory as I look to the ground. My breathing is a bit ragged. I wish things would have worked out for us. God! I wanted that. I guess I still do. I look to the ground as my chest heaves, trying to control the tears that are beckoning to come out.

"Yes, we are. His sister is our surrogate," he says and my worst fear is realized. I have lost him for good. I am quiet for a while, trying to get my words together.

"I could have given you a child," I mutter softly.

"I'm sorry, Carmen. I really am but you know that's not what I wanted with you. I thought you understood."

I take a deep breath and sit up, scrunching my brows together.

"I do, Eleazar. I guess maybe there is still a little part of me that…" I stop and shake my head, not wanting to finish that sentence. Shit, how desperate do I look right now.

"You know, I'm…" I nod and take a deep breath in, "I'm really happy for the two of you."

He smiles that wonderful smile that always made my heart beat a little faster and then he leans down and kisses me on the cheek, "Thank you."

"If you need help with anything, will you call me?" I ask, a glutton for punishment.

"I am sure Liam has everything taken care of. He's already baby proofed the house," he says with a laugh, "but thanks for the offer.

I nod again and stand, kissing him on the cheek, "Goodbye, Eleazar."

I stand tall and walk out. I need to let him go. I can't keep holding on to a dream that doesn't exist anymore. He's in love and it's not with me. I march towards the elevator and stare at my reflection in the mirrored wall.

"Let him go, Carmen, and move on," I nod and force a smile.

~LoN~

Knock, Knock, Knock

Stephan groans and pulls me tighter to him, nuzzling his head further into my hair.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

With another loud groan he lifts his arm, releasing me from his embrace. We have been together for almost two years. I met him on a buying trip in New York and we hit it off immediately. The first year was very casual, for me at least. I was still holding out for Eleazar but after I found out about him and Liam preparing to have a baby I realized that I was putting my life on hold for something that would never be and in the process I almost let a good man get away.

"_Carmen, I'm tired of this," he says pacing in the small room._

"_Tired of what? The hotel, the Caribbean, me?" I question._

_He stops pacing and faces me, placing his hands on his hips. He took me away for my birthday and I thought we were having a great time so I don't know why he is acting like this. Okay, granted, it's only been a few weeks since I found out Eleazar was going to be a father and maybe that has preoccupied my mind recently but I thought it wasn't noticeable._

"_Do you want to be with me or is this some game?"_

"_Of course I want to be with you. Why do you constantly question me?"_

"_Why do you constantly push me away anytime I get serious?"_

"_I don't push you away…" I stop and sigh._

_He's right. I do. I push him to the side, treating him the way Eleazar treated me. I was always on the back burner, always waiting. Waiting for his phone call, waiting for him to say he needed me, waiting for him to say he loved me. But those things never happened and they never would. He has Liam, he has who he wants. I take a seat and motion for Stephan to join me._

"_I'm sorry, Stephan, you're right," I say with a sigh. "I've been reluctant to…" I look down and fiddle with my fingers nervously before finally looking up at him. "I was very much in love once. When we went out people couldn't help but stare at us. His family loved me. His employers loved me. His mother often called me to see how I was doing. I always stood by him, supported his career and understood that he couldn't commit to me the way I was to him. Then one day all of that changed." I say evenly, twisting my fingers, almost painfully. Why is this so hard?_

"_What happened?" he asks full of concern._

"_He invited me to a reception for his work and he abruptly left after we got there. When I went to see what was taking him so long I saw him embracing another man. It seemed very intimate but I couldn't believe I had seen what I did so I waited a week to see if he would call but he didn't. It ate at me so I went to see him and, well, he came out, he told me he was..." I sigh._

_Stephan arches his brow, "he was gay?"_

"_Yes, he told me that he had met someone and was in love with him. I saw them together and knew it was true but it was really difficult to accept. I had waited years to hear him make such a proclamation. Then two weeks ago after I came back from New York, I, umm, found out he and Liam are expecting a child and I don't know," I stop frustrated with myself._

_I shake my head. God! This is so stupid. Eleazar never cared about me the way I cared about him. He never loved me but Stephan, he does love me, he does want me and he treats me so good. He is so proud to call me his and it's never for work yet I have spent the past year keeping him at arm's length. I touch his face tenderly. _

"_I'm really sorry, I know I do keep you at a distance but it's because I was afraid to care about you. I was afraid to allow myself to love you. I…" I look down and suddenly his mouth is on me._

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK**

I sigh and get up, slipping on a robe. I steal a glance at the clock. It's 5:30 in the morning. Who in the hell would be knocking on my door at this hour. I look in the peep hole and frown. Why the hell is he here? Unchaining the door I step aside and let Liam in. He looks like he's been running as he is wearing a pair of running shorts and a tank top that shows pretty much every muscle on his chest and shoulders. Wow!

"I'm sorry for calling on you so early?" he says.

"No, it's fine. How can I help you?" I ask.

"I just wanted to thank you for helping us with Melanie."

I smile, "you could have called me for that."

He grins and looks down slightly and I can see why Eleazar is so smitten. He is adorable when he isn't scowling or yelling at me. In truth, I was really happy that Eleazar called me to see if I knew anyone that could be Jasper's nanny. He had said that Liam rejected everyone and they needed to find someone they could trust. I had laughed because considering how Liam responded to me I could only imagine the hell those interviews must have been for those poor applicants. But my first thought had been my niece, Melanie. She is as sweet as pie and I knew she would never judge Eleazar and Liam. I was happy that she worked out for them. She has such a wonderful way around babies and they all absolutely love her.

"I know but…" he pauses.

"Would you like to sit down?" I offer and he nods.

We take a seat and he turns on the sofa to face me.

"I know that I have not always treated you well," he sighs when I arch my brow knowingly at him. He bites his lip, "Carmen, I have always been extremely jealous of you and the relationship you had with El. He says I'm being ridiculous but I knew…" he stops and gets a contemplative look on his face.

I tilt my head slightly, "you knew what?'

"That you still loved him."

I smile, "I did. For a long time but it wasn't meant to be."

He swallows, "do you still… love him?"

I touch his check softly, "Eleazar will always have a place in my heart but no, I do not love him like that anymore. You two are perfect for each other and he is so happy. That's what matters to me."

He smiles brightly and nods, "okay. I was…" he shakes his head slightly. "I guess I wanted to be sure you were okay and that you didn't help us because you were trying to win him back or something," he sighs. "That really does sound crazy doesn't it?"

I laugh hard and shake my head, "yes, it is crazy. I helped you both because that was the right thing to do. There is no ulterior motive going on."

He lets out a loud breath and smiles. "God! If El knew I was here he'd probably kill me," he says with a hearty laugh.

"Well I can't imagine that but, Liam," I touch his hand, "I'll always be here if either of you needs anything. Eleazar doesn't have to call for help to be given. Okay?"

He nods, "I really let my jealousy get the best of me. I'm so sorry for misjudging you."

"Carmen, is everything alright?" Stephan says coming into the living room.

"Oh, God! I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had company," Liam says standing quickly, clearly embarrassed.

Stephan approaches him and reaches out his hand, "My name's Stephan and you are?"

Liam smiles, "I'm Liam. It's nice to meet you, Stephan."

Stephan cocks his head to the side and looks at me and then Liam, "You're Eleazar's partner."

Liam turns to me. "Stephan is my fiancé and he knows about everything. I hope you don't mind," I say smiling at Stephan.

"No, it's fine. Your fiancé. Wow! That's wonderful," he says giving me hug. "I'm really happy for you both." He chuckles and motions his head towards the door, "I better go. El's gonna think I'm adding an extra few miles to my run to get out of diaper duty."

I grin and Stephan wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me a little closer to him. We watch as Liam dashes out of our place and when the door closes Stephan turns to me with a big smile on his face.

"So, you told someone, I guess that makes it official," he says kissing me softly on the lips.

"I love you," I whisper.

"I love you, too," he says with a passionate kiss. He then pulls away and breathes in deeply. "No lingering regrets?" he asks tentatively.

I cup his cheek, "none at all."

He nods and the smile on his face right now reflects the tremendous amount of love he has for me and I can only hope the smile on my face displays just how much he means to me as well. I know deep within my heart that everything I went through was to prepare me for him. Eleazar and I were good together and he will always be my first real love but sometimes you don't get your first love, sometimes your best love is the one that comes after that.

* * *

**A/N… awww, so there ya have it. Hope you liked that Carrie and Corinne, I gave Carmen her very own HEA…LOL… and for those that love a jealous Liam you got a little something, something as well. Okay, I will post the second outtake next Friday, anyone interested in the whole Siobhan pregnancy?**


	33. Outtake: Siobhan O'Reilly

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**A LOT of you were interested in Siobhan's POV throughout the pregnancy because come on, let's face it, that was an awkward yet beautiful situation :-)**

* * *

**Outtake: Siobhan O'Reilly**

I have been staring at the door for ten minutes debating with myself whether I can actually do this and what the repercussions will be. Will my brother hate me afterwards? Will I develop feelings for Eleazar? Am I making a mistake doing it this way versus just trying artificial insemination? Closing my eyes I hear my brother's distraught voice after he tells me that none of the doctors in America will help them. I take a deep breath and knock on the door and a few moments later Eleazar is standing in the doorway.

"Come in, Siobhan," Eleazar says in exasperation.

I see my brother on the couch with his legs crossed and a notable scowl etched on his face.

"Has something changed? Are you having second thoughts about this?" I ask looking between Liam and Eleazar.

"No, we're not," Eleazar says getting on his knees in front of my brother.

Liam immediately uncrosses his legs and looks at him, his brows still furrowed before he pulls Eleazar close to him. Eleazar is mumbling something intently while my brother closes his eyes and nods several times. They embrace, enveloping each other in a passionate kiss that would surely take their breath away. Turning, I smile and head towards the bedroom to give them some privacy. I cross my arms and begin pacing in the room, losing track of time as I weigh the magnitude of what I am about to do.

"Is that another twin thing?" Eleazar asks with a nervous chuckle.

I stop and smile, "What?"

"The whole pacing thing," he says sitting down on the bed.

"He's having a hard time with this," I state as fact.

He nods, "yes, he is but he wants a child more than anything else and we both know this is the only way that's going to happen."

I nod and sit down next to him.

"I don't really know how to start this," he sighs. "The last woman I was with was Carmen and that was a long time ago."

I take a deep breath, deciding at that moment that I would start this for him. My lips touch his and he immediately draws back and stands, running his hands nervously through his hair. Alright, well, this is obviously not some romantic encounter so maybe I need to skip the foreplay and just get undressed and in the bed. He must turn around as my shirt and bra hit the floor because I hear a loud gasp behind me.

"What?" I turn quickly, worried.

"This… Shit! Oh my God… This isn't going to work," he stutters.

I sigh, having worried that this might be a possibility, "Do you love my brother?"

"Of course, with all my heart and soul. He's everything to me," he says with purpose.

"Do you want to have a child with him?"

He closes his eyes and nods.

"Alright, then lets problem solve this. What will make it easier for you to, you know, get hard?"

He winces and shrugs.

"Come here, Eleazar," I say firmly as I reach my hand out to him.

He swallows and opens his eyes again, walking over to me but being sure to avoid looking at my naked chest. I can see his chest moving quickly and can only imagine how fast his heart must be beating.

"Here's what we're going to do. I'm going to get in the bed. Would you prefer I keep all my clothes on, minus my panties of course?" he winces again but nods. "Alright, you go out there and have my brother get you hard and I'll take care of myself so I will be ready for you."

His mouth parts but no words come out. I can't help but laugh because I might be the first person to ever make him speechless. I turn him around and nudge him towards the door. When the door closes I slide underneath the covers shaking my head. Well, this won't be the first time I have had sex and had to take care of myself. Of course, I usually have to take care of myself after and not before since they are usually willing to give me at least some foreplay. I smile and giggle. It's actually very sweet how nervous he is. I close my eyes and imagine Pierce Brosnan moving his fingers over me. It doesn't take long with that visual and just as I reach my climax I hear the door open.

"Roll over," he says out of breath.

I roll over and yeah, I am curious. I kind of want to see him but then again I really don't. I can't make this personal. I just need to stay calm and… I let out a groan when he enters me. Dear God! He's umm… Shit! Stop it, this is about Liam. He starts moving in and out of me and I am having a hard time trying not to take pleasure in what's happening. I need to remember that this is a means to an end. My breathing picks up so I start praying in hopes that I can remind myself why this is happening.

_Heavenly father full of grace,  
__I do this not for my gain but my brother's  
__Please father, allow me to give my brother a child  
__Please, God, let me do this one thing for him  
__If it be your will, let me conceive  
__Dear Lord, let me bear a child for Liam and Eleazar_

Eleazar's panting brings me out of my prayers and a few minutes later I feel him release inside of me. He immediately starts to pull out and I whip my head around quickly, "Don't move. Hold the position it will ensure the most sperm enters my fallopian tubes."

His forehead creases and he closes his eyes tightly and I see a few tears streak down his face. I knew this would be difficult for him, for both of them, but hadn't considered just how difficult it would actually be.

"This is to give you both a child," I say forcefully and he nods.

"You are not betraying my brother in any way," I say, hearing his sharp intake of breath.

After a few minutes I tell him that it's okay to move and leave him sitting on the edge of the bed, his hands on his knees and his head dropped. As soon as I exit the room I see Liam sitting against the wall, his legs drawn up. His arms are wrapped around his legs and his head is resting on his knee caps. When he hears movement he turns to me, his eyes are wet so I walk to him and kneel down, kissing his forehead.

"I love you," I say cupping his cheek. He nods and rises to his feet, a determined look on his face.

~LoN~

I open my freezer and laugh at the container that houses Eleazar's sperm. If someone where to look inside here I would have a lot of explaining to do. I run my hand over my stomach and bite down on my lip. I know that it's too soon to know but, I do. I can feel it in my soul. I'm pregnant. On the days we weren't having sex I was utilizing the sperm that he and Liam collected. I giggle at the thought of that. At this point, I have so much of Eleazar's seed in me that if I'm not pregnant there is definitely something wrong.

Knock, Knock, Knock

I turn to the door. That's odd. I'm not expecting anyone. I walk over and open the door to see that mum is standing there. She doesn't say anything she just steps through my door. When I turn around she is eyeing me with her arms crossed.

"What's going on, Siobhan?"

"Nothing," I reply.

"Siobhan Elizabeth O'Reilly, do not stand there and lie to me," she states angrily. "What are you and your brother up to?"

"Mum, it's complicated and I don't want to say anything yet."

She moves her hands to her hips and I swear her lip twitches.

"Okay, just… sit down," I say with a heavy sigh.

She sits and I sit next to her, "I'm helping them have a baby. I'm going to be their surrogate."

Her mouth parts and then she frowns as she realizes what that might entail, "did you have sex with…" she looks down and mumbles Eleazar's name before looking back at me.

I nod and she stands, bringing both of her hands over her mouth, "Siobhan, what in the world, I don't…" she is shaking her head in disbelief.

"It's the best way," I stand up as well, "I won't see my brother so unhappy when I can help him. And this will help him. This baby will be his completely, this child will have O'Reilly and Whitlock blood, and you know that we are connected in a way most don't understand so this is… the closest he is going to get to actually having a child. Mum, I have to do this," I am crying now, firm in my belief. "You always said Liam would be a wonderful father. Don't you want to see that realized?"

She has tears in her eyes, "He will but… this is so unusual and my God! Have you considered how you're going to carry a child and then hand it to someone else?"

"I won't be handing it to just anyone. He or she will be with my brother, the other part of my heart. I will still be in their life, just in a different capacity."

She wipes her eyes and takes my hand, "Let's go talk to Father Monahan."

"I already did," I say steadfast.

"You did?" she asks stunned.

"I didn't make this decision over night," I take her other hand. "I've been having very vivid dreams about being pregnant and then last month I dreamed that I was in the hospital and Liam was there holding a child. It scared me so I went to Father Monahan and we prayed together. He told me to ask God for understanding and do you know what happened?"

She shakes her head.

"That night I dreamed again and this time I saw my brother walking hand in hand with a little boy," I smile at the memory. "I couldn't see the boy's face but I could see my brothers and…" I stop as tears flood my eyes.

Mom starts crying as well.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make that dream a reality. God wants this to happen. I believe that mum. Don't you see? He is telling me that what I am doing is the right thing to do."

She nods and breathes in deeply, "Okay, this is what we will do. We won't say anything to anyone until we know you're pregnant and the how it happened we will keep to ourselves. People can infer what they want. Besides, there is no way to know whether it happened from the sex or the," she pauses, "the artificial way, correct?"

"Correct," I say before hugging her.

~LoN~

"First time to America, miss?"

I turn to the older woman in the seat next to me and smile, "Yes, I'm going to stay with my brother for a little bit. He's my twin."

"How wonderful, do you do a lot of similar things?" She asks and I nod smiling.

"We used to drive our mother crazy but we have always been very close," I say with pride.

"_They hate me," he says, sensing my presence in the room._

_I sigh and slip in the bed, wrapping my arms around him. I can feel his chest moving and know that he is crying. Dad still won't talk to him and the boys are ignoring him._

"_They love you," I lean over and kiss his cheek. "They're confused."_

_He rolls over to face me. "Do you hate me too?"_

_I touch his cheek lovingly. "That would be like hating myself."_

_His face strains as fresh tears come._

_._

_._

_._

"_Are you sure you want to do this?" I ask, watching him pack his bags._

"_It's the only way."_

"_But things have been better."_

_He turns, "I can't stand to see the look on their faces anymore. I'm tired of feeling like there is something wrong with me. Martin said that if they can't accept me for who I am that I have every right to leave."_

_I frown. I hate Martin. He's filling Liam's head with all kinds of stupid things. Plus he's ten years older than him, that's way too old, but Liam won't listen to me about him._

"_He doesn't know our family," I finally say. "Does he even know you or is he just using you?"_

_He rolls his eyes, "I'm not naïve."_

"_Do you love him?"_

"_I don't know. I guess. Does it matter?" he says and when I start to say something he smirks at me. "Did you love Samuel?" he queries with a raised eye brow._

_I frown, "That's different?"_

_He laughs, "No it's not. It's exactly the same." He sits down next to me. "I love you, sis, more than anything but I'm not some love-struck fool. I can stay with him until I leave for Dallas in three months and that will allow me to bypass all those pitiful looks mom and dad keep giving me." His face becomes hard, "I don't ever want to feel like I did last year," he says with a determined face._

_I close my eyes, remembering vividly finding him in our spot under the bridge with a razor in his hand and a vacant look on his face. He said he wanted to die, that no one loved him anymore. I had never been so scared in my life. We stayed there until nightfall, me holding him while he cried. I distinctly remember it being the one and only time I ever yelled at my entire family. After that things started to change but Liam is right, it's not like it was. I can't stand the thought of him leaving though. We have never been away from each other. He said he applied for the foreign exchange thing to advance his education but I think it has more to do with him wanting to be away from the family. I feel the tears threatening to come forth and my heart aches watching him pack his things._

"_But I'll never see you," I finally say looking down._

_He lifts my chin, "All you have to do is look in the mirror."_

_I grab him, holding him tightly as the tears come._

_._

_._

_._

_Mum leads Eleazar into the kitchen and I find Liam, wrapping my arm around his waist._

"_Tell me," he says excitedly._

"_Oh brother, I love him already," I say looking up at him._

_He looks so happy. I have never in my life seen him this happy._

"_Anyone who can put this look on your face is a gift from God," I say._

_He nods and kisses my forehead, pulling me closer to him._

_._

_._

_._

"_Siobhan, it's me, let me in," I can hear him pounding on my door._

"_What's the matter?" I ask sleepily._

_He shakes his head and steps inside, grabbing me and pulling me tight against his chest._

"_Brother, what's going on?"_

"_I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday," he says burying his head into the crook of my neck._

"_You didn't do anything wrong. What we're doing is unusual," I say running my fingers into his hair. "You know I don't have feelings for Eleazar, don't you?"_

_He nods, "I don't know what's wrong with me. One minute I'm fine with it and the next minute I imagine, El…" he stops, and his body stiffens against me._

"_He loves you so much," I kiss his temple. _

"We are starting our descent into Dallas. We should be arriving in thirty two minutes." The pilot states over the intercom, bringing me out of my memories.

When I had told Liam and Eleazar that I was indeed pregnant they wanted me in Texas that next day but that wasn't going to happen. I had things that needed to be taken care of first. I didn't want to give up my flat. Where would I live after the baby was born? The next day Eleazar had wired money to my manager for a year. I took leave from work and was told I would have a job when I returned. We broke it to the family at one of our Sunday dinners that I was carrying Eleazar and Liam's baby. It was definitely an unusual conversation but Mum supported it which meant everyone else would as well. And now here I am landing in Dallas, Texas.

"Siobhan," I hear the minute I step off the plane.

I turn and see Liam, smiling brightly, Eleazar standing by his side. Liam pushes through the crowd and picks me up the minute he gets to me. He is laughing and I'm giggling as Eleazar grabs the bags I dropped. Liam starts walking with me while I try to wiggle out of his arms. He finally sets me down, kissing the top of my forehead.

"I love you," he says warmly.

~LoN~

"What's wrong with Eleazar?" I ask as I watch my brother cook.

He sighs, "It's nothing, sis."

"It is something. I can tell."

He glances over his shoulders, "he's worried you're going to change your mind."

I frown, "That's silly."

Liam shrugs and turns back around. "He's been following that Mary Beth Whitehead case and is looking at it from a lawyer's perspective. He'll be okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"Is he meeting us for the ultrasound?" I ask.

"Yes," he brings a plate to me, smiling brightly. "He would never miss us finding out the sex of the baby."

.

.

.

I am sitting on the exam table, dangling my legs and watching my brother pace in the room, looking at his watch every couple of minutes. Eleazar is late. He should have been here thirty minutes ago and Liam is frenzied.

"I don't think looking at a kitten is going to make me forget the doctor poking around down there. They should put actors or something up there. Mmm, Pierce Brosnan," I say randomly.

He stops pacing and arches his brow at me; a little smirk is playing on his face. He knows I have a thing for Pierce. I point up where there is a poster on the ceiling of a kitten swinging in some kind of tire. His eyes lift to the ceiling and then he lets out a loud guffaw and places his hands on his hips. He obviously never noticed it.

"Of course, that one is cuter than the one in the other room," I say with a shrug.

The door burst open and a frazzled Eleazar steps in. Liam turns to him and I can see the relief flood his face. In one long stride Eleazar is in front of him, his hands on his face loving while he looks at him intently.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Smith called me in for some bullshit."

"They're running behind so you didn't miss it," he says with a smile.

Eleazar nods and kisses him and I can tell the stress and anxiety washes away from him in an instant. They kiss for several minutes before mumbling, _I love you,_ against each other's mouths. God! I need a love like that. I have noticed since being here that they are always this way together. Always needing to touch each other or be in close proximity to one another. Even out in public where they don't hold hands or embrace one another they still constantly give each other knowing glances or graze each other's body in some way. How do people not notice that? We hear a knock on the door and they break from one another's embrace.

"I'm sorry I am running behind Ma'am. The other tech is out sick."

"In this case it actually worked out just fine," I say giving her a smile.

She starts setting everything up and lays me down while Liam holds my hand. I know from experience that Eleazar is holding Liam's other hand. She smiles at them and starts showing us various parts of the baby, showing us a perfect baby. Boy, this child is going to have long legs.

"Do you want to know the sex?" she asks casually.

"YES!" Liam and Eleazar say in unison and then chuckle at each other.

I turn to her, "Yes, we want to know the sex."

She looks a little dumbfounded and then recognition sets in. She bites her lip and smiles before repositioning the paddle over my stomach.

"Yep, that's a good angle; looks like you are having a boy."

Liam and Eleazar turn to each other and without thinking they embrace yet again. Eleazar's hand immediately creeps into Liam's hair and I know they are about to kiss again.

"This is a beautiful thing you are doing," the girl says to me.

"I know," I smile.

"My best friend wants a baby so badly but he has been denied so many times."

I touch her hand, "Tell him not to give up."

She nods and stands, looking at Eleazar and Liam, "Congratulations."

"Thank you," they once again say in unison and then lean against each other smiling.

~LoN~

I have been crying for over an hour about everything and nothing at all. Maybe it's hormones but I can't stop. I don't hear him come in but I feel his arms around me. He kisses me softly on the cheek.

"Why are you crying?"

I shake my head, unable to think of anything that makes sense.

"When I first moved away, I missed everyone and everything so much. Patrick teasing me all the time, mom and dad stealing little glances when they thought no one was watching them, the constant sound of feet pattering on the wood floors. The smells that would waft through the kitchen every Sunday, the crystal blue skies and the way the green grass felt between my bare toes. But mostly," he kisses my temple, "I missed you."

Now I am a sobbing mess. He shifts his position slightly. He doesn't say anything for a long time. He just holds me while I cry. I cry for home, for a love like my brother has, for a family I may never have of my own, and I cry for the vile people in the world that says somehow what we are doing is wrong. When I finally stop, purely from exhaustion I feel his lips graze my cheek.

"I wish they hadn't cancelled Remington Steele. Pierce Brosnan in a suit sure would make you feel better," he says with a slight chuckle.

I reach my hand up and smack his head.

"Ouch, quit being mean," he says through a laugh.

"Don't remind me that they cancelled it. I'm still mourning," I say with a giggle.

"I can't believe the studio wouldn't let him out of his contract to be James Bond and then had the audacity to cancel the series."

I reach up and smack him again.

"Ouch, what was that one for?"

"For reminding me of that as well," I say evenly, trying not to laugh.

"You're going to force me to call mum if you keep hitting me."

Now I really laugh, "You do that brother. I can't wait to hear what she says."

"Yeah, well, be nice or I will call," he kisses my cheek again.

"You and Eleazar are going to be wonderful parents," I say out of the blue.

I can feel his smile against my cheek, "I hope so," he replies.

"How could you not? You two emanate love. I don't know how people have not figured it out."

"People are blind to things they don't approve of," he says with a sigh.

"If I could find someone that looked at me the way you two look at each other I would marry him on the spot."

"You will and then you will make me an uncle several times over."

I giggle, "Well, we'll see. I might have this one and say hell no, I'm not going through that again."

He starts to move and I stop him, "Please stay with me for a little longer."

"Of course," he says lying down again.

~LoN~

The next several months were decidedly better for me. I was in the swing of things and better able to handle my emotions. I was eating like a crazed woman though. Generally speaking I am not one for spicy food but this baby craves it all the time. I am going to blame that one on Eleazar. I smile at that thought. We have spent every weekend in Corpus Christi. Usually I stay at Eleazar's mums while Eleazar and Liam stay at a hotel. I honestly think it's so they can be as loud as they want to be. I smile again. I would be happy with a fraction of their sex life. I teased my brother about it last week.

"_Are you and Eleazar fighting?" I ask trying to mask my grin._

_He spins around fast, "No, of course not, why?"_

"_Well, I didn't hear the wall banging and a stream of curse words from either of you last night."_

_He purses his lips and I arch my brow._

"_Maybe we were just being quiet," he says trying not to smile._

_I cackle and shake my head, "No way, brother, you can't even say that with a straight face."  
_

_He then laughs, "I know, huh, well, we don't have sex every night," I snort because it seems like they do to me. He gets a wicked little smirk on his face. "But I guess since we make so much noise maybe I need to have him gag me the next time," he says with a wag of his brows._

_I spit out my orange juice as he laughs riotously._

After that conversation they have tried to keep it down. Sometimes I don't hear them until the thumping becomes frenzied. We pull up to his mum's house and Bobby is already waiting outside for us. He brushes his hair back and fiddles with his belt before walking to the car to greet us. He immediately opens the door for me and I catch Eleazar rolling his eyes at him. I like Bobby. He is very sweet and funny. The way he likes to tease Eleazar reminds me of the way Patrick always teases Liam. I do get the sense he might like me but that can't happen. I am moving back to Dublin after the baby is born and that wouldn't be fair to either of us.

"Siobhan, my goodness, I think you have gotten bigger," Eleazar's mum says running her hand over my stomach.

"I feel like I weigh a ton," I reply.

"Ah, you look beautiful," Bobby says passing by us. When several people look at him he laughs, "What, she does."

"You better not let Liam hear you," Eleazar says nudging him just as my brother comes up.

"Hear what?" he asks.

.

.

.

We had another wonderful day. His mum is such a wonderful cook. They all have treated me so well. It's hard to imagine that they didn't want Liam in their life for so long. Eleazar and my brother have already left and knowing them they are already having sex. I grin and try my best to get comfortable.

"Can I get you anything?" Mrs. Whitlock asks sitting on the bed and moving my hair behind my ear.

"I'm okay, thank you."

She has a contemplative look on her face.

"Is everything okay?" I ask concerned.

"What you are doing for my son is more than I ever thought possible but..." she looks down for a moment and I notice she is rolling her rosary beads along her fingers.

"Mrs. Whitlock, is something wrong?"

She shakes her head, "I know your mother can't be here while you are going through this and I would be remiss as a mother if I didn't ask you this," she pauses. "How are you going to handle giving Jasper to my son? You will see him all the time but he won't be yours." She touches my face softly, "I don't want my joy at being a grandmother or my son's joy of becoming a father to overshadow the sacrifice you are making."

"Eleazar and my brother will be wonderful parents so that helps. I honestly don't know how I will feel when it happens. I can sit here and say I will be okay but I can't be certain of that," I look down and feels tears on my cheeks, "My only wish is that Jasper won't be my only child."

Suddenly, the floodgates open as the tears freely flow. She wraps her arms around me in a motherly embrace and I miss my own mother even more. I wish she could be here with me. Olivia holds me tightly until I settle down and then she kisses me lightly atop my head.

"I want you to know that I consider you a daughter and if you ever need anything all you need to do is call."

I nod, unable to speak just yet.

~LoN~

Since having my conversation with Mrs. Whitlock a month ago I have made sure to call my mother every day. Sometimes we don't talk about anything specific and sometimes she proceeds to tell me everything that is going on back home. She was so grateful for Eleazar's mother and her taking care of me in her absence. I feel a twitch in my belly as Jasper's long legs stretch and decide that I am hungry, again and make my way to the kitchen, stopping in the hallway and leaning against the wall.

"Oh, my," I swallow thickly as I feel wetness move down my leg.

I take a deep breath and walk towards the nursery to see Eleazar and Liam with their hands on the crib railing. Eleazar is kissing him softly on the neck and I feel myself getting slightly lightheaded. I clear my throat.

"My water broke."

Things happen very quickly from there. Liam and Eleazar start moving fast, grabbing my bag, directing me, next thing I know Eleazar is driving like a bat out of hell to get me to the hospital. Once there, I am immediately moved to a private room on the birthing floor, equipped with a hospital bed, a love seat and a recliner. Boy, this must be costing them a fortune.

"Ms. O'Reilly, Dr. Jensen is on his way."

I nod as Liam and Eleazar walk to either side of me. I quickly grab each of their hands, looking between the two of them. I know I have a determined expression on my face.

"Just in case Dr. Jensen doesn't get here in time, whatever anyone else might say, you both need to be with me," I then turn to Eleazar, needing desperately to alleviate his fears, "I know you have concerns about what that Mary Beth woman did but I won't do that. Jasper is yours and my brother's child. I will be his aunt, that's it," I have tears in my eyes as I say the words that I know he needs to hear. "I would never take him from the two of you."

He breathes out in a gasp and then leans down and kisses me lightly on the lips, "thank you," he says with tears in his eyes.

"Ms. O'Reilly, gentlemen," Dr. Jensen says, walking inside the room.

"Well, Ms. O'Reilly, it looks like you are fully dilated," he says with a smile after checking me and turns to the nurse, "We will deliver in here," he then turns back to the three of us while the nurse is gathering several items, "She is too far along to move her and…"

Oh God! I arch my back and screech, squeezing both Eleazar's and Liam's hands so hard I think I might have actually broken their fingers. All I can feel is pain, excruciating pain. Whoever told women this was beautiful was full of shit. This hurts like hell and then suddenly I begin to worry that something is wrong as I scream out again, pain shooting up my spine and then suddenly it all stops. I feel loopy, almost like I am drunk until I hear my brother call out in a panic.

"Is he okay?"

"Is our son alright?" I hear Eleazar ask next to me.

The nurse turns and smiles and a few moments later they bring him to us. She hands him to me and I can't believe how perfect and beautiful he is. Oh God! I did that. I kiss him on the forehead while my brother walks to the other side of my bed where the nurse has lowered the railing. I can't stop smiling at Jasper.

"Jasper, you are so lucky. You have two very special daddies. They will take extra special care of you and love you so much," I turn to the two of them, tears streaking my cheeks as I place my son in Liam's arms.

Liam's entire face lights up, as he is overcome with happiness and the love that only a father can know. He slowly turns to Eleazar, "El, he's perfect."

Eleazar nods as he watches Jasper. He says something in Spanish that almost sounds like a prayer and then leans down and kisses him softly. This is why I did this. I am not sure how it is possible for my heart to feel such tremendous loss and at the very same time feel such tremendous love, but I do. I ache to hold Jasper again but that's not my place. He is not mine and I need to keep telling myself that.

"He's not mine," I whisper as I watch my brother and the love of his life share a moment so profound that it will be etched in my mind forever.

Liam looks up at me, tears of happiness are streaking his cheeks as he mouths, _I love you_. I breathe in deeply and nod, mouthing, _I love you, too_.

* * *

**A/N… there ya have it folks. I just want to say that I absolutely adore the relationship that Liam and Siobhan have. The sacrifice she makes for them is made from love and commitment. God! I just want to hug her so bad right now **

**Okay, next outtake is for my girl Amanda who loves her some Bobby, hehehehe**


	34. Outtake: Bobby Gonzales

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Alright, this one is for my beta Amanda. She loves her some Bobby, hehehehe.**

* * *

**Outtake: Bobby Gonzales**

Readjusting my fans, I inwardly curse my air conditioner for giving out on me on a hot fucking day. I just finished dinner and jumped in the shower to try and cool off but it ain't helping. I'm still sweating like a fucking pig.

"Hey, Bobby," Sergio says peering into my screen door.

I give him a nod, "What?"

"We got a game going on, come on."

"Too fucking hot man and I ain't getting dressed for you," I wave my hand in a dismissive manner. "My ass is staying inside," I say tipping my beer in his direction.

"Stop being a pussy and get the hell out here. It's already cooled down," he says with a laugh.

My phone rings and I shrug as I pick it up, covering the mouthpiece I tell him, "Give me a minute and I'll meet you over there but you better have beer."

"Hurry up, asshole," he says and I flip him off.

"_Hello?"_

"_Bobby, you need to get to Houston," my Tia says._

"_What's going on?" Suddenly I panic, "Is Eleazar okay, did something happen to Jasper? Liam?"_

"_Liam is in the hospital," she says crying. "Eleazar is really bad off, Bobby. He won't let me take Jasper and he's talking crazy. Please, he needs you. You are the only one that can ever talk sense into him aside from Liam and Liam is really hurt," she finishes in a near panic._

"_Where is he?" I say breathing hard._

"_St. Luke's."_

"_I'm on my way. Don't leave him, Tia."_

"_I won't," she says and I can tell that she is already composing herself._

I hang up and rush into my room, throwing on my jeans and a T-shirt. What the fuck is going on with Liam? They were just here a few weeks ago and he seemed fine. And what the fuck does she mean that Eleazar is talking crazy? I hear Sergio calling me but I wave him off as I jump in my car, gunning it out of the neighborhood.

"_Bobby, you need to go to the hospital. I think this is going to need to be stitched up," Eleazar says, trying to stop the blood from oozing out of my arm._

"_No fucking way, people die in fucking hospitals."_

_He sighs and then arches his brow at me._

"_Don't fucking look at me that way, Eleazar."_

_He squeezes my arm harder than necessary and when I flinch he chuckles. He stretches and reaches into his dresser drawer, grabbing an undershirt. He looks at me frustrated and sighs again before wrapping his shirt around my cut like a tourniquet. He ties it tightly and sets his hands on his hips. His mouth opens and closes and then he gets a thoughtful look on his face._

"_Not everyone dies in a hospital," he finally says._

_Before I can say anything he glances at his door and then back at me, bringing his forefinger over his lips, he tells me to shhh._

"_Eleazar, are you home?" I hear my Tia say, walking into the house._

_He steps out of the room, leaving me alone. God! My head is pounding and this cut hurts like a bitch. I lay back on his bed and as my eyes close I see my father, dead on the hospital bed, and immediately shoot up. I look around confused. It's dark outside. Shit! It seemed like my eyes just shut. Eleazar is sitting on the floor, with his back against the wall, a highlighter tapping rhythmically on the edge of what I recognize as our US History textbook. He glances up at me and smiles, motioning his head towards his dresser that has a plate of food on it. Throwing my legs off the bed, I rise and go grab the plate, immediately shoving a tortilla in my mouth. As I sit back on the bed he sets the book down._

"_So you gonna tell me why Mario pulled a knife on you?"_

_I shake my head. He sighs and furrows his brow as he picks up the book. He continues reading, highlighting here and there. I've never seen anyone take school so seriously. He told me yesterday that he was going to be a lawyer. I had laughed and told him there weren't Mexican lawyers and he proceeded to argue with me for over an hour about how there had to be and if not he would be the first. Maybe he will be a lawyer; they like to argue, don't they?_

"_I already called your mom and told her you were spending the night," he says not looking up from the book. "You can take the bed. I am gonna be up late reviewing for our test."_

_He glances up and arches a disapproving brow at me and I grin as I shove more food in my mouth. He knows damn well I barely read the chapter and sure as hell am not studying for the damn test. If it weren't for him I would have already dropped out of this stupid ass school. _

"_I'm not smart like you," I finally mumble through a mouthful of food._

"_Yes, you are," he says, not looking up._

A horn honking draws me out of my memory. _Fuck you!_ I think as I flip the driver off even though technically I was the one that swerved into his lane. My foot presses onto the gas pedal as I maneuver through traffic, trying to get to Houston as fast as I can. I don't know what the fuck is going on, but for my Tia to ask for me, it must be bad. Eleazar has always been under control so if he is in bad shape something is definitely wrong.

.

.

.

The hallways of the hospital make me uneasy, stirs up old memories. Why do hospitals always have to look like this? I had been told by the woman at the entrance that Liam was in the intensive care unit and that there was a waiting room up there. That seems like the most logical place for my Tia to be. God! I hate being here. It feels as if everyone is watching me, whispering, but I know that can't be true.

_Is that his son? Poor thing, he's so young._

I shake my head and breathe in deeply as I search for the waiting room. Seeing a sign directing me down the hall, I step through the waiting room door. As suspected, my aunt is sitting in a chair with her arm around Jasper's shoulders. He looks up when I walk in and immediately starts crying as he runs up to me. I kneel down so I can hug him properly.

"It's alright, Mijo," I say rubbing his back and glance at my aunt who is crying again.

"What happened?" I say to her, not letting go of Jasper.

"I don't know all the details, just that they were assaulted on the way home from the carnival Saturday night." She says and I feel Jasper stiffen against me. I kiss the top of his head.

"Jasper, you stay here with your abuela. I'm going to find your dad," he nods against me but doesn't let go.

I eventually direct him back to my Tia and she tells me Eleazar is in room 419. The slow walk over there makes my heart beat a mile a minute. As I step through the door I am taken aback by what I see. Eleazar is in the recliner next to the bed; his arm is through the bars and his hand is entwined in Liam's hair. He is facing Liam and I can see the heavy rise and fall of his chest. I take a good look at Liam and it makes my stomach turn. My God, he is so fucked up. Who the fuck did this? My feet start moving and Eleazar tilts his head to face me and the look of despair on his face halts me, piercing me to my core. This isn't my cousin, who the fuck is this?

"Eleazar, are you okay?" I ask as I slowly approach him.

He doesn't say anything as he turns his head and continues to stare at Liam. I kneel down next to the chair and place my hand on top of his. He starts breathing fast and I don't know what to do. Eleazar has always be the level headed one, the one to calm me down, usually on those rare occasions he loses his shit I just yell at him to get it together and he does, but this, this is something entirely different. He swallows and begins telling me everything that happened, a painstakingly detailed account but it's like he's in a trance or something because there is no emotional inflection in his words. He is reciting this horrifying event as if it were a case file up for review.

"Have the police been notified?" I ask making sure someone is going to at least investigate this.

He shrugs, "I think I talked to an officer."

"Eleazar, look at me," I say forcefully and he turns to face me. "Everything will be okay. There is no fucking way God would take Liam from you." He closes his eyes tightly and I move closer to him grabbing his face in my hands and resting my forehead against his, "He won't leave you but you have to believe that, do you? Or have you fucking given up already?" I ask, his head starts shaking and his breath hitches.

"Good! Now listen to me. You take care of Liam and I'm going to take care of Jasper." He nods as tears streak his cheeks. I stand up glancing at Liam once more before kissing the top of Eleazar's head. "Don't give up, Eleazar. He wouldn't give up on you."

I turn to him before stepping out and see that he is right back in the same position he was when I walked in.

.

.

.

"Uncle?" Jasper says as I get to the door of his bedroom.

I turn and smile, "Yes."

"Are you… staying?"

"Yes, until your dads are ready for me to leave."

He nods and a moment later frowns, "do you think my dad's going to d..i…" he squeezes his eyes shut and his face contorts in pain.

I waste no time and sit on the bed next to him. "Don't even say it, Jasper, don't even think that. You hear me?" I say with anger.

He starts crying and nods. FUCK!

"I'm sorry, Jasper. I'm… not angry at you," I kiss his forehead and he opens his tear filled eyes. Swiping my thumb under his eyes I smile, "you have to always think positive, if you think about bad things happening, then they will happen, do you understand?"

He nods again and wipes his eyes. I run my hands through his hair, pushing it out of his face.

"Try to get some rest," I say and stand back up.

Jasper had told me on the way to the condo that Siobhan was coming probably tomorrow. That's good because I could use her help. I'm a perpetual bachelor and don't really know how to take care of a kid. I know Liam is really picky about what they eat and I sure as hell can't really cook. As I look through their kitchen, I start touching various gadgets trying to figure out what the hell they are or how the hell they're used. Shaking my head I walk to the bar and poor a shot of whiskey. At least Eleazar keeps the good shit.

_Slamming the door closed I immediately punch a hole in the wall._

"_No fucking way," I scream to no one._

_What the fuck is wrong with him. He never ever acted like he was a… I shake my head. No! He's not; he's not one of them. He's not like that. I close my eyes and try not to picture him doing the shit I saw in prison. FUCK!_

I frown and go sit down. It seems like forever ago that I acted like an ass when he told me he was gay. Even though Eleazar and I didn't talk all the time since he was so damn busy, it was torture knowing that we weren't talking at all. Then it got around the neighborhood and some people started saying shit about him. I may have been upset with him but I sure as hell wasn't gonna let people say some of the fucked up things they were saying. So yeah, I kicked some ass. I run my fingers through my hair and rest my head back on the couch, looking up at the ceiling.

_Hey, God… _

_I know I don't do this but if you're thinking about taking Liam with you that would be really fucked up. My cousin needs him and more importantly Jasper needs him. I mean damn it, haven't you taken enough fathers' from our family already? _

I sigh and lean forward. Yeah, that's a good one, Bobby. I'm sure cursing at God is gonna get the result you're looking for. Shit! I turn towards the hallway and think of Jasper and my mind is immediately flooded with memories. Liam has been a permanent fixture in our family for nearly sixteen years. I see him with Jasper, reassuring him when Jasper makes a mistake. I see the way he looks at my cousin whenever they aren't near each other. I see the three of them, a family, and then I see him lying on that bed, tubes sticking out all over the place, monitors gathering data and my cousin looking like he is dying right alongside him. My breath hitches as I try to fight back my tears. I clasp my hands tightly and kneel on the ground, bowing reverently.

_Heavenly father full of grace, I know I am not supposed to ask for things and that I have not been good at praying or doing the right thing but Eleazar has. He has always lived good, always believed in you, and always fiercely protected the people he cared about. Don't take away his reason for living. I am so afraid for him because I don't think he will make it if Liam dies. If you need someone, I know I would probably not be your first choice but take me instead I won't really be missed. But if you take Liam, you take Eleazar as well, maybe not in body but in spirit and I can't have that. If anyone should still be living in this world it's them. I…_

My fervent prayer is halted when I hear a high pitched scream coming from down the hall. I run back there, wiping my eyes on my shirt sleeve. I rush through Jasper's door and find him thrashing on the bed, screaming. Oh Fuck! Am I supposed to wake him up? Fuck, fuck, fuck, what am I supposed to do? I crawl onto the bed and pull him close to me and he stops flaying. I don't know why but I start humming. It was an old song that my dad used to sing to me to make me laugh and soon I can feel Jasper's shallow breaths as he falls back to sleep.

"Dear Lord, please, don't take his father away," I say with tears falling as I kiss his temple.

~LoN~

Jasper woke me up early the next morning, eager to go back to the hospital. I did make him eat and shower, although he did pout about the shower directive stating he just took one. I had crossed my arms and gave him my best _get your ass in there_ look which worked because he sighed before dutifully walking off to get a change of clothes. We arrived at the hospital an hour later.

"Any change in Mr. Whitlock?" I ask the nurse.

"No sir," she says with an apologetic look.

Jasper and I walk through the door to Liam's room and there is a nurse taking his vitals while Eleazar watches on. Eleazar turns to the door and offers Jasper a weak smile but outstretches his arms. Jasper smiles brightly as he runs up to him and embraces him tightly. Eleazar buries his head in Jasper's neck as they hold each other. I lean against the wall, not wanting to intrude and watch as the nurse jots down something in Liam's chart.

"Dad, can I stay in here with you?" Jasper asks hopeful.

Eleazar glances at me and then Jasper, shaking his head, Jasper starts to protest and Eleazar gives him a reproachful look. "Son, please, you need to stay with your uncle. He will take care of you. I need to be here for dad, okay?" He touches his cheek and I can see Jasper's head look down.

"But I want to stay with you guys, please."

Eleazar hugs him again and whispers something in his ear which causes Jasper to nod. A few moments later Eleazar looks at me again, "He's going to stay for fifteen minutes and I promised him that you guys wouldn't leave the hospital. Is that okay?"

I smile. Eleazar, always the negotiator, "Yeah, that's fine. I'll give you guys some privacy and be back in fifteen."

Eleazar smiles and mouths, _thank you_, before turning to face Liam again. At the same time Jasper grips the edge of the bed frame. As I start to walk towards the waiting room I see Liam's family walking determinedly my way. I pivot and head towards them. They are all wearing worn expressions and none look like they have slept at all. Siobhan immediately hugs me as does their mom, while Liam's father and brothers shake my hand.

"Jasper is with Eleazar, umm, let's go in the waiting room and I will fill you all in," I say not looking forward to this conversation.

Siobhan looks towards where Liam's room is and for the life of me I don't know how she knows that's where he is. I touch her arm and she blinks several times before turning to follow her parents and siblings into the waiting room. I take a seat and lean back.

"He's not good. When I spoke with the doctor yesterday he told me that he sustained a great deal of injuries," Mrs. O'Reilly covers her mouth while Mr. O'Reilly puts his arm around her. "They said three broken ribs, severe muscle bruising in his lower back and a fractured wrist. They believe they have contained the minor internal bleeding he had but…" I look down.

"But what," Patrick says firmly. There is no joking today.

"He's been in a coma for four days and because of that they can't be sure if he has any permanent brain damage."

Patrick jumps up and the man looks like he is ready to punch through a wall. I know he likes to tease Liam but he is very protective of him as well.

"What happened?" Andrew asks.

I sigh and motion for Patrick to sit down. "This is what Eleazar told me yesterday."

I go into excruciating detail about the assault, watching as their faces morphed with each new element. I thought about sparing them the gruesome details but knew they wanted to know and I would rather them talk about it in here with me than with Eleazar. I know my cousin and when he said he did nothing I knew that meant he felt responsible, even though I am sure Liam wanted him to take care of Jasper. I glance at the clock and realize that it has been twenty five minutes but as soon as I think, _Shit! I'm late_, Eleazar and Jasper walk through the waiting room door.

"Oh, Eleazar," Mrs. O'Reilly says as she rushes towards him, engulfing him in a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry," he cries while I reach for Jasper.

I take Jasper to a chair and Siobhan meets us there, kneeling down and cupping his cheek.

"Are you alright?"

He nods and hugs her. Pretty soon everyone makes their rounds with Eleazar and Jasper. Offering words of encouragement and love, making sure he knows that none of them blame him at all. When everyone is done Eleazar walks over to me and I stand.

"I need to go into my office. They need to know that I plan on taking some form of extended leave." He looks between me and Siobhan, "Can you two look after Jasper? I won't be long at all," he says determinedly.

"Of course," Siobhan answers him.

"If… if anything," he swallows and I narrow my eyes at him but before I can say anything Jasper is repeating what I told him last night.

"You have to always think positive, if you think about bad things happening, then they will happen," Jasper says softly but everyone hears him.

Eleazar kisses the top of his head and nods, "You're right, son. I'm sorry."

"Can we see him?" Patrick asks.

"Yes, only two at a time they said. He's in room 419," he looks down at Jasper who is watching him, "I'll be right back."

People come and go, taking turns while Siobhan and I keep Jasper occupied. As people come back more distraught than when they left it takes everything for Siobhan and I to refocus him. I can tell that Siobhan is upset. She is the last to go and as she gets to the door I lean down to Jasper.

"This is the one time I am going to leave. Is that okay?"

He nods, "I'll stay with grandma." He leans close to my ear, "take care of my mom okay?"

I smile, "I will."

I catch up to her before she gets to the room and take her hand in mine, "Let me go with you."

She doesn't say anything but squeezes my hand. When we walk in she gasps and her knees weaken. I let go of her hand and put my arm around her waist, holding her upright as we slowly walk to the bed. She is breathing hard, nearly hyperventilating so I have her sit in the recliner and begin rubbing her back.

"Did he ever tell you about the first time we all met?" she doesn't say anything, she is simply staring at Liam so I continue. "We were all playing football and he was playing opposite Eleazar and I," I laugh remembering that day so well. "He was so good, showed no fear so I decide to see what he would do one on one against Eleazar so I throw the ball to Eleazar and I'll never forget this. Liam saw me eye Eleazar and he took off. He tackled Eleazar so hard I wasn't sure Eleazar was going get up. Then Liam said something to him, helped him up and trotted over to his team like he didn't just knock the wind out of his man. I had never seen anything like it and I don't know, I liked him immediately and knew he was the perfect match for Eleazar."

I look at Liam and his tattered body and know that in his head he probably thought he could take on all those assholes. Hell, he probably could have if they hadn't pulled a bitch move by hitting him on the back of the head. You can't defend against that. I gently stroke Siobhan's hair.

"You see, Eleazar has always been level headed, always needed to be in control of his life and the things around it. If you ever get a chance to see him in court you will witness a small glimpse of how bad-ass he is, but really, he never wanted to experience life. He was always pushing himself, proving himself to everyone. But with Liam, he is free. I saw that change in him and could see that the bullshit they talk about in greeting cards about soul mates existed because that is them. They are perfect together and bring out the best in one another."

She doesn't say anything for a long time but she is breathing normal now so maybe I helped her a little. Hell, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I'm not the caretaker kind of person. I'm a fucking clown, I make people laugh except, damn, there is nothing funny about this situation in the slightest.

"How could people do something like this?" she asks in almost a whisper.

I sigh, "I don't know, Siobhan. I really don't. People are fucked up." I glance at Liam again, "But he's strong, not just physically but in his heart and mind as well. That has to be enough to make him pull through, don't you think?"

She breathes in deeply and nods, "Thank you, Bobby, for everything."

We stay in there a few minutes more until Eleazar gets back and the lost look on his face tells us what he can't say, he needs to be near him again. As he sits back in the recliner I tap his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze before heading back into the waiting room. We spend the next few hours at the hospital, the doctor comes in and talks to us and as we are deciding where everyone is going to stay my mom and several of my Tia's come in with food for everyone.

"Has there been any change?" Mom asks and I shake my head. "Are you okay?" She asks while touching my cheek.

I nod, "yeah, I'm fine."

.

.

.

"_Why are you under the table?" Eleazar asks as he crawls underneath with me._

_I shrug and he hands me some candy which I take while he unwraps his own._

"_You're like me now?" he says as he takes a bite of his candy._

_When I look at him strangely he stops chewing and looks at me._

"_We both don't have daddies anymore."_

I startle awake to Patrick's loud snoring. He is crashed out on the recliner. Liam's parents took the spare bedroom, Siobhan slept with Jasper in Liam and Eleazar's room, Patrick wanted the recliner, I took the couch and Liam's remaining brothers were in Jasper's room. It was a tight fit but it worked. Rubbing my eyes I try to get the images out of my head but spending so much time at a hospital is making me remember shit I don't want to remember. I never really played a lot with Eleazar in the beginning. But after my dad died we sort of became inseparable. I wanted to see him all the time. When we were young we would spend all day together and then when we got older I started hanging out with the wrong kids. Everyone was so angry at me, many washed their hands of me, especially after I went to prison, but Eleazar didn't. He wrote me every week like clockwork and when I got out he never looked down on me. I get up and walk back to check on Jasper and see that Siobhan is awake watching him.

"Is he okay? Did he have another nightmare?" I ask from the doorway.

She nods and sighs as she runs her fingers through his hair, "he'll be alright."

.

.

.

For the last two days Siobhan and I have been like a well-oiled machine. We have treated Jasper as if he were our own. We bring him in to see his dads several times a day but only for a few minutes at a time because basically he doesn't need to see Liam all banged up like that and Eleazar wasting away. Eleazar won't eat although my Tia has tried desperately to get him to. I see the way Jasper looks at him and I know he is worried. I also know he won't say this out loud but I think he is concerned that he is going to lose both of his parents.

We have had visitors left and right. Some people from Eleazar's work, well I assume they were, they looked like lawyers, and even Carmen came by with her husband yesterday. Apparently my Tia called her and asked if we could store some food there since Eleazar and Liam's fridge was full. My Tia told her what had happened and they were at the hospital with us later that day for several hours, offering their house for people to sleep in. I always liked her and she seems happy with Stephan.

It's crowded in the waiting room so me and Siobhan and Jasper are hanging out in the hall. We hear movement down the way and Jasper drops his water and runs at top speed to Eleazar who picks him up, swinging him.

"He's awake," Eleazar says to the nurse and I hear Siobhan gasp. I grab her and hold her as she cries.

"Come on, let's tell everyone."

I feel her nod against me but she doesn't move out of my embrace and I can't help but kick myself for never making a move on her when I had the chance. She's married now with a couple of kids of her own. He stayed in Ireland to take care of them, not questioning her need to be here. That's a good guy in my book but I do still wonder what it would have been like, her and I together. I wrap my arm around her shoulder and we walk into the waiting room. They see Siobhan's tears but before they can think about the worst I speak the words they all want to hear.

"He's awake."

* * *

**A/N… my, oh, my. Well, I hope you enjoyed getting inside Bobby's head. I know I did. There was a lot that went on while Eleazar was incapacitated so it was nice to see some of that. One last outtake, the one you have all been waiting for, Mr. Liam O'Reilly. **

**Catch ya in a couple of days when we wrap up this story **


	35. Outtake: Liam O'Reilly

**Rating: M- For lemons, language and situations.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of the world of Twilight. **

**Special thanks to my lovely beta amandac3 for pushing me to write this story and for making me my fantastic banner. Also want to thank my girls Bedazzled, Dishie, and LayAtHomeMom for pre-reading this story for me. Love you ladies**

**Alright, this is the last one. I know so many of you are Team Liam so I will waste no more time and give it to ya. **** This takes place when they moved to Cali, picking up where the flashback in the epilogue leaves off.**

* * *

**Outtake: Liam O'Reilly**

His mouth is still on me, hungrily devouring my lips and my tongue while his body gently rubs against mine. I hadn't realized just how long it had been since we had had sex until now. Of course up until dinner last night I also hadn't realized how much of a strain I was putting on our relationship. These thoughts are controlling my life and I don't know how to stop them. I really need to get my shit together though and stop letting what happened in Texas interfere with the new life we are trying to establish here. He shifts slightly and I let out a soft moan. It feels so good to be intimate again. To feel his body pressed against mine and his mouth against my skin. We are always so good together. I can't lose this connection. I need him. My hands move over his ass before sliding up his back and into his still soapy hair. I find myself snickering against his mouth, I can't help it.

"What's funny, baby?" he mutters, breaking our kiss only momentarily.

"You still have shampoo in your hair," I say arching my brow.

"Well, I was a bit distracted. In the grand scheme of things it didn't seem that important," he says smiling against my lips before once again engulfing me in a passionate kiss while my mind begins to wander.

_I can hear John and Eric talking but I stopped listening a while ago. My eyes are drawn to him. I smile when his hand touches the conference room door but then drops as he looks up, pivoting quickly; he wanders to a set of chairs near the window and crosses his legs, bobbing his foot as he opens a file. His suit looks tailor made and fits him to a tee while his black shoes sport a shine that could pass a military inspection. From this distance he looks clean shaven and his hair is styled in a slicked back pompadour that I immediately want to run my hands through. I unconsciously lick my lips. Oh damn! He's beautiful._

"_Please be gay!" I mutter to myself as I start to walk towards him._

_He doesn't look up and the closer I get to him the handsomer he becomes. His dark skin is brilliant against his suit and tie combo and I have to hold back the urge to touch him to see if he is real. His forehead is slightly creased as he studies his file intently and based on the number of stacks he has with him he must be one of the attorneys. I steady my nerves and take a deep breath._

"_Can I sit here?" I ask and when he looks up, I swear my breath is taken away._

_He nods and my smile spreads. I get lost in his eyes for a moment, before moving to his lips, so full and perfect. My eyes rake him in completely, starting with his perfectly matched silk tie, lying on his crisp white shirt, down his extremely long legs and onto his large feet. I take a sip of my coffee as I try not to say something inappropriate. Unfortunately I am not as slick as I think I am because when our eyes meet again his brow is arched slightly and I realize I have been caught eye fucking him._

"_I'm Eleazar Whitlock," he says reaching his hand out._

_I take it and smile, "Liam O'Reilly."_

_._

_._

_._

"_Yeah, two orders of the carnitas, extra salsa, extra tortillas. Thanks."_

_I didn't see him again until earlier today when Mr. Montgomery took us in his office to officially meet him. He was so fucking sexy and when he rose, his hard on was like a beacon meant just for me. I'm still not 100% sure he's gay. He definitely seems interested in me but he also seems to be avoiding me so maybe he is already taken. That could be problematic since I only have a week left. I don't have time to really make a play and woo him appropriately. I need to simply go for it. When I left his office a little bit ago he told me, another time, so I decided another time is now. I pay for our food and pick up a six pack before heading back to the building._

"_You did say another time and since you seem to work nonstop I figured I would… improvise," I say holding up the bags as I walk inside his office._

_"You brought me food?" He asks with a beaming smile._

_I arch my brow and with a sly grin I hold up the other bag, "And beverages."_

_I head towards his little table and start getting the food out. Realizing he hasn't moved yet I glance his way and motion for him to join me. He has this almost school boy quality about him right now and I have to wonder if no one has ever done something like this for him. As the evening progresses we eat and talk. We talk about what he does for the firm, what I do for my company and then get into the vitals. He is getting a little flirtatious and I am pretty confident that one, he's gay and two, he's interested. Of course he is driving me insane with his sexiness. He eats a lot with his fingers and every time they go to his mouth my cock rises a bit more. I want him badly, more than I should considering we have just met but damn, I have never felt this attracted to someone before. I am finding it extremely difficult to focus on what he's saying and not the lips I want to kiss so desperately. _

_"Well, now that we got vitals out of the way why don't we tackle something light, like, oh I don't know, equal rights in the workplace, race relations," he gives me this sexy half smirk. "Or how about the cold war, that's nice and mellow," he finishes with a cocky smile._

_All I can do is stare at him dumbfounded. He brings his finger underneath my chin and closes my mouth which I didn't realize was open and then grazes his thumb along my bottom lip. My eyes close and suddenly his lips are touching mine. A fire is lit within me and I deepen the kiss instantaneously. His lips are so perfect against mine and when he pulls me to him I can't control my bodily reactions to him. I start grinding against his crotch, feeling his hard cock rub against mine. God! I want him so bad. I grip onto his hair as his hands move underneath my shirt. His long fingers caressing me and sending shivers across my body. I want more, I need more._

_._

_._

_._

_Slamming the door closed I throw my jacket on the floor, yanking my tie off as I begin to pace._

"_Eleazar's better half," I hear myself repeating Mr. Montgomery's words._

"_God! She's probably touching him already," I hiss out, running both hands into my hair._

"_I don't want her, I want you," Eleazar's impassioned words whisper in my brain as I drop down on the couch in my hotel._

_._

_._

_._

"_I love you," he whispers as he stops kissing me. I stare at him while he runs his fingers through my hair, "I know we haven't known each other for long but I love you." _

_I start crying. I don't mean too but I can't stop it from happening. This is it for me. The depth of feelings I have experienced in the week I've known him is more than anything I felt before in my life. I remember my sister asking me once if I loved my first real boyfriend and I didn't know. Hell, I realize now that I have never really loved anyone because I have never felt this strongly before him. He's the first and last person I think about and he is constantly creeping into my brain throughout the day. I want to know everything there is to know about him. I want to spend every single moment with him. I want to love him always. I open my mouth to say the words I love you back to him but nothing comes out. I feel his hand settle on my cheek._

_"Te amo," he says reverently._

_I kiss him hard and passionately as I move incredibly close to him. Breaking our kiss I stare intensely in the eyes, "I love you too," my lips gently touches his, "I love you," I repeat._

_._

_._

_._

_I am leaping up the stairs two at a time. I need to see him desperately. A month is too long. It felt like a fucking lifetime. I knock on the door and a few minutes later he opens it, clearly surprised that I am here. At first I get a little worried that maybe I interrupted something but he gives me a breathtaking smile and pulls me inside. I immediately attack his mouth, kissing him deeply as my hands move first over his ass and then cup his already hard cock._

"_I'm sorry, I know you have work tomorrow but I had to see you."_

"_I missed you so much," he mumbles as his tongue darts over my lips._

"_I missed you too," I grab his hand and push it against my hardness. "I want you so bad."_

_He stiffens slightly, SHIT! Too soon, he's not ready for me, yet. But I can wait. I deepen our kiss and walk us to the couch, falling on top of him, grinding my erection against his. He is moaning and writhing underneath me, driving me crazy. I pull his cock out and then mine rubbing them against one another. He lets out a grunted yes as I break our kiss only for a moment so I can pull my shirt off. He follows suit never taking his eyes off me. I grab our cocks again and shift my hips, creating the most delicious friction imaginable while watching his eyes close and his tongue sweep across his lips._

"_I love you," I say as my mouth latches onto his._

"Baby, what are thinking about?" He asks, breaking our kiss and bringing me out of my thoughts.

"What?"

He gets a reflective look on his face and then touches my cheek lightly before stepping back into the water to rinse his hair out completely. Once he's finished he kisses me tenderly and starts washing me, not saying a word. He must be worried that I zoned out again. Well, I did but this time it wasn't on bad things.

"I was thinking about when we first met," I say watching a relieved smile pass across his face. "I want you just as much now as I did then."

He turns me around so that I am in the water and kisses me again while he moves his hands over my body, rinsing me off. His hands move into my hair and he turns me again before reaching for the shampoo, never breaking our kiss. At this point in our relationship we have the whole showering thing down to a science. When he is done his hand gently cups my cheek.

"I will always want you as well," he then gives me that smirk I love so much. "We will be old and grey haired, unable to get it up anymore and even then I will still want to feel your body against mine."

I smile, "Well, hopefully by the time it gets to the point where we can't get it up anymore they will have invented some happy little pill to help us along."

He chuckles, "So you will break your no meds policy for a pill to make you hard?"

"Hell yeah," I say pulling him closer to me as my hand moves to his cock which is already showing signs of life. "Wouldn't you?" I ask with my lips close to his mouth as I stroke him.

He growls and slaps my ass before spreading my cheeks and allowing his finger to dart in and out of me causing my eyes to flutter closed. I feel his tongue trace my lips before he reaches behind me and turns off the water. Damn! Fun time is already over.

"Tonight, baby. Jasper is probably already waiting for us and I have court today."

I nod, knowing he is right. We quickly change and I start a pot of coffee for him noticing Jasper sitting on one of the bar stools eating toast, smiling like a loon.

"Do you want me to make you something, Jasper?" I ask.

He shakes his head and bites on his bottom lip. I start to say something but El comes in and kisses the top of Jasper's head frowning at his selection.

"Is that all you're eating?" he asks before stepping into the kitchen with me.

"This is my fourth slice and I put peanut butter on it which makes it a meal," he says with a grin.

El and I look at each other and then him. El starts to say something and then glances at the clock with a frown. He turns to me and smiles, kissing me lightly on the lips.

"You are definitely worth being late for," he whispers.

"I'll see you tonight," I mumble as I start kissing him.

We kiss for a few moments until finally he groans loudly and steps away from me, giving me a quick peck on the lips before kissing Jasper on the temple. I catch him glancing at his watch as he darts out of the house. When I finally turn to Jasper he is giving me that Cheshire cat grin he has and I laugh.

"What?" I finally ask.

"I haven't seen you guys like that for a long time. That's good, right?"

I look down and place my hands on my hips, well, shit! How obvious have we been with our lack of intimacy?

"I mean, it is alright isn't it? You guys, you know, are okay. I, umm, heard you this morning and figured that was a good sign," he trails off, running his hand up his neck.

"Dad and I are fine. Please don't worry about us, son." I say coming around and sitting next to him at the bar.

"You guys…" he looks down not finishing his thought and then sighs. "I don't want our family to… break up."

I gasp. Is that really what he thinks is going to happen?

"Jasper, our family is not breaking up. Why would…" I start to say but he cuts me off.

"I wish I could go back in time, and then I would have us go to that stupid carnival during the day or better yet not at all. If I hadn't wanted to work on that stupid song we would have never been there at night. You wouldn't have been hurt. We wouldn't have had to move. You wouldn't wake up crying or have to think about what those men did. You and dad would be happy again. Our life would be… perfect," he breathes out in a gasp.

"You are not to blame, Jasper. I'm the one that insisted on us walking to and from the carnival. If we had just driven we would have never been on the street in the first place. If I had kept my mouth shut and not tried to take on a bunch of drunkards you would never have had to see any of that," I say indignantly.

He turns to me, his face stern and red from anger, "so wait a minute, are you trying to say that you DESERVED what happened. Is that what you're telling me? That because you wanted us to exercise and that you stood up for us that that gave those ugly," he starts breathing hard and shaking his head. "No! No! No! No!"

His eyes close and his breathing picks up. Shit! I start rubbing his back and place my other hand over his heart.

"I'm sorry, son. Jasper, breathe okay. Everything's alright, we're safe now," I whisper softly in his ear. "I love you so much. Please, I need you to take a breath." I say desperately.

I rest my forehead against his temple. His heart is beating so fast and his breathing is shallow. Damn it! I had to go there with him, I couldn't let it go. This is not the first panic attack he's had with me and I'm sure it won't be the last but I hate them and don't think I will ever get used to it. I can't stand seeing him like this. My sweet little boy who has always been happy and carefree but now is tortured because of me. Tears start to fall from my eyes as memories flood through my brain of happier times.

"_Jasper look over there," I say pointing across the ridge._

_He smiles brightly, "Daddy, it's so green. Is it always like this?"_

_I nod, "yes, always, come on I want to show you something special."_

"_What about papa?"_

"_I'm coming too," El says behind us._

_I lift Jasper into my arms and El wraps his arm around my waist as we head down into the valley. I had taken El here the first time we came to Ireland. It's one of my favorite places. Siobhan and I found it when we were little and visiting our grandparents in Newcastle. I'm so glad that Andrew took over when our grandparents passed away so the property is still in the family. We walk down a little cobblestone path and then work our way towards the creek, finding our way under the arched bridge. Jasper is squirming excitedly so I let him down._

"_Let me help you, Jasper," I say taking his hand._

_He touches the water in the creek and pulls his hand back quickly, "It's cold."_

"_It is, isn't it?" I say running my fingers in the water and making a design._

_Jasper starts clapping and does the same thing. I glance at El and he is leaning against the wall of the bridge smiling at the two of us. I turn back to Jasper and pull out a smooth stone from the bottom of the creek bed, handing it to him and watching as his eyes get big as his fingers caress it. He wraps his arms around my neck and kisses my cheek before I pick him up. I bring him near where El is standing and give El a quick kiss on the lips and then he steps aside giving Jasper and I more room._

"_Your aunt Siobhan and I found this place when we were little. Patrick and Andrew were supposed to be watching us but we slipped away," I say with a chuckle. "We wandered down here and spent all day playing, hiding from our brothers. When they finally found us they were so angry but they just hugged us and told us never to leave them like that again."_

_He is looking at me intently, listening to every word I'm saying._

"_So every time we visited our grandparents Siobhan and I came here." I place his hand against one of the stones, tracing his fingers over two names, "we carved our names in the rock."_

_He squints and sees our poorly penned names and grins._

"_And then I brought papa here," I move slightly and place his hand over our names._

_He is bouncing in my arms, excited as he traces his fingers over both of our names. _

"_Should we put your name here too?"_

_He starts nodding wildly and the smile on his face right now lights up my world._

_._

_._

_._

"_Okay, now drop the vegetables in the pan."_

_He concentrates hard as he slowly pours the cut vegetables into the pan with the pork. _

"_Wonderful," I say touching the back of his head._

_He smiles and bites his lip as he starts stirring it._

"_Remember to fold it, not stir it, we don't want to lose the texture of the vegetables."_

_He nods and starts folding the vegetables into the meat mixture. I have found that Jasper is much more willing to eat whatever I make if he helps make it so that's what we do almost every night. I kiss his temple and start putting the rest of the meal together. However, when I start to plate only two dishes his brows furrow._

"_Is papa not eating with us?" he asks as he starts setting the table._

"_Not tonight. He has to work late." I say ruffling up his hair._

"_What will he eat?" he asks concerned._

"_He'll eat what we made but when he gets home." I say watching him._

_He frowns as he looks at his food and then El's seat. El is normally really good about being home for dinner but he has a huge case that didn't go so well today. The prosecution threw him a curve ball and he was not happy about it. He called earlier and told me he was going to stay at the office and work on his defense for tomorrow. He sounded frazzled and upset._

"_Can we bring his food to him?" he asks as serious as can be._

_I smile, "I think papa would like that a lot."_

_We pick up our plates and I start redistributing them in portable containers. Jasper darts into the hall and runs back with the picnic basket we sometimes take to the park and sets it on the counter. He then goes in the fridge and pulls out two bottles of Jarritos. I grin as he then grabs bottled water for me I presume since I don't usually drink that Mexican soda they both like so much. It's a little too sweet for my liking but I love that they love it. I pull out our linen napkins and begin rolling the silverware inside them while Jasper watches. We then gather everything together, placing it in the basket. Jasper looks very serious right now so I drape my arm over his shoulder and ruffle the hair atop his head. _

"_Do we have everything?" I ask._

_He digs through the basket and smiles before nodding. _

"_Alright, let's go see papa," I say with a kiss on the forehead._

_Jasper is bouncing on the balls of his feet as we take the elevator in El's building. The office is quiet and I can't help but be flooded with memories of the times when we first met and I would bring him food and we would spend hours making out. Jasper grasps my hand tightly as we make our way to the only room with light. As we step through the door El is at his desk with papers spread out across it, listening to his tape player and jotting down notes on a legal pad. His brow is furrowed and his face is hard but when he looks up his lip quirks into a smile._

"_Well, what a pleasant surprise," he says as he stands._

"_We brought you dinner, papa." Jasper says squeezing my hand tightly and smiling up at me._

_._

_._

_._

"_Daddy, one more chapter, pleaseeee," Jasper squeals._

"_Alright, alright. Scoot over though, because now I'm getting tired instead of you, young man."_

_He giggles and moves so I can slide in next to him before he snuggles up beside me._

"_Where was I?" I ask looking at him and winking._

"_At the part where the boy gets lost," his excitement is clearly present._

"_That's right." I smile and kiss the top of his head._

_._

_._

_._

"_Don't let me get by," I say as he tries to block my shot._

_He slides slightly and gets the ball, concentrating hard he moves past me and kicks it through the goal. I run up to him and he turns to me excited as I high five him._

"_You didn't LET me get past you, did you?" he asks._

"_No way, son, you told me not to take it easy on you."_

"_Really?" he puts his arms around my waist._

"_That was amazing, Jasper." _

_I spin him and we fall to the ground laughing._

_._

_._

_._

"_Dad," Jasper says hesitantly._

"_Yes," I turn to him._

"_Can I ask you something?"_

"_Of course, anything, always."_

"_Do you think there's something wrong with me?"_

"_Of course not, why do you think that?" I ask, placing my hand on his shoulder._

"_I don't know. I guess I realized that I don't like anyone. Shouldn't I have a best friend by now?"_

_He looks up at me and I can see that he has been thinking about this question for a while._

"_Jasper, you're special. You are careful about who you entrust your friendship to. There is nothing wrong with that," I touch his cheek, "And honestly, if people can't see how completely wonderful you are then they are not worthy of your friendship or your loyalty."_

_He looks down and kicks at an imaginary pebble there. He has had a hard time connecting to people. In the beginning of school he made friends easily but then their parents would find out about El and I and it usually wasn't long after that that these friends no longer wanted to be his friend. He's in fourth grade now and I have noticed that he doesn't try very hard anymore. He finally looks up at me and gives me a slight smile._

"_You and dad are my best friends. That's good enough for me."_

"DAD!" I hear Jasper say loudly.

I blink slowly and focus my eyes on him, seeing his very worried expression.

"Dad," he says again as tears pool in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm okay," I pull him close to me. "You scared me." I whisper into his hair.

"You scared me too," he mumbles against my chest.

I hold him tighter, "Maybe you should stay home today."

"No, I can't. I have a test tomorrow and I don't want to miss the review. I feel okay," he says and then looks up at me. "Do you need me to stay?"

I don't say anything, only shake my head and hold him close. I'm not sure what to say anymore other then, _I'm sorry I'm not as strong as you thought I was_. Is it really supposed to be this way? I always thought I could handle anything but now not so much. I take a deep breath in and run my hand down the back of his hair.

"I love you, Jasper."

"I love you too, dad."

.

.

.

Rubbing my eyes I strain to figure out what to do. I wish I could call El but he's in court and I won't disrupt his day because I can't get my shit together. Standing, I stretch and walk to the mantel picking up a picture. My fingers trace over Siobhan's swollen belly. Once Jasper found out about Siobhan it seemed silly to hide it so we framed a couple of pictures but this one is my favorite. It had been taken in Corpus Christi when she was eight months pregnant. She is standing between El and I and we both have our hands on her belly. What the three of us did was unusual to say the least but I'll never regret it, even though I did have a difficult time in the beginning.

"_I can't stand it," I growl._

"_I know, but you want a baby don't you?" he asks as we hear the knock on the door._

_I frown but then nod. El stands up and walks to the door letting Siobhan in. He and I have been arguing for an hour. Not necessarily at each other but it suddenly hit me what was going to happen. That he and Siobhan were going to have sex. That he would be fucking someone and that someone would not be me, that he would be putting his fucking cock… I can't even think about it without blowing up. To top it off it's my sister, someone I love and would lay down my life for, someone I can't be angry at or hate. Siobhan actually says something but I am not paying any attention. I can't think right now and suddenly I feel El's hands on my knees. I look at his concerned face and pull him to me. His mouth gently grazes mine as he starts talking intently._

"_I love you, only you, it doesn't matter what happens in there because you are all I want. Nothing will ever change that, no one will ever change that for me, only you, do you understand, baby? I love you so much. I could never want anyone else."_

_I am nodding and trying to fight back tears as my mouth crashes against his, enveloping him in a searing kiss. After a long while he breaks from me and stands, touching my face tenderly. As I watch him walk away my heart drops into my stomach. Standing abruptly I practically sprint to the door, stopping myself before I open it. There's a war raging within me. One side is yelling at the top of his lungs, 'you're letting him fuck someone else, what if he realizes what he could be doing' while the other side is countering with, 'you want a baby, do you want to feel the sting of rejection again?' I start breathing hard as I don't know how many more times I can handle hearing the words, 'No way, faggot', screamed at me. Suddenly the door swings open and El is standing there, a dazed look on his face._

"_I can't get hard," he says flustered._

_I immediately push him up against the wall, kissing him soundly as my hand makes quick work of his zipper. I start stroking him roughly. He is responsive to me as he always is and soon he is pumping his hips, shoving his hard cock against my hand and grunting loudly. Fuck! I need to stop him or he's going to come right now. I pull away from him panting and out of breath. He stares at me for a moment and then hurries back in there while I slide down the wall. Soon I hear it. I hear him, grunting and panting and my heart starts beating faster. Those are my sounds, no one else's. I know I should move but I can't, I am glued to this spot, tortured as the tell-tale sounds of his release approach. My head hits the back of the wall as I squeeze my eyes shut and slam my hands against my ears. I finally draw my knees up and wrap my arms around my legs and wait for what seems like forever. I don't hear anything anymore. I look up when there is movement and see Siobhan step into the hallway. She walks up to me and kneels down._

"_I love you," she says kissing my forehead._

_I don't say anything. I can't, I just march into the bedroom to find El sitting on the edge of the bed. He looks up at me and I am consumed with, I don't know, jealousy I think, maybe fear. I can't name it, all I know is I need him. I throw my shirt off and drop my pants so fast I am surprised I don't trip in the process. Grabbing him under the arms I practically toss him up towards the headboard as I pull his pants off, and then jerk his shirt over his head. My mouth is on his moments later. But this kiss isn't passionate; it's desperate and almost hostile. My hand moves between his legs as two of my fingers enter him. He moans and arches his hips as I stretch him and moments later I push my cock inside him with intensity._

"_You're mine, El," I say while my lips hover over his._

_I don't give him a chance to answer as my lips attack his again, before moving down his neck, nipping and biting as I thrust wildly inside of him. Normally I don't put marks anywhere that someone might see but I am obviously not in a very good frame of mind because I am going to town on his neck, to the point it must be painful, all the while fucking him hard and fast._

"_You're fucking mine," I grunt loudly, raising his legs over my shoulders._

"_Only… yyoooouuu," he draws out as I slam into him again._

The phone rings and I blink several times before focusing. By the time I pick it up the call disconnects. I frown but looking at the caller ID I know it wasn't El or Jasper's school. It's a number I don't recognize and when the answering machine comes on it is some place asking if I'm interested in joining the local gym. No, I'm not interested. Shaking my head I glance at the clock and sigh. I better get ready.

.

.

.

Crossing my legs I glance at Dr. Samuelson across from me. He's my fifth or maybe sixth shrink so far but I don't know, I kind of like him. On our first visit El came with me. I had done several trauma inventories and then we did the general intake. When he asked me what brought me to him I couldn't speak. El had ran his hand along my shoulders and started to tell him what happened but Dr. Samuelson stopped him, telling him he would wait until I was ready to say what happened and then he asked several safe, non-threatening questions. He was the first psychologist I went to that didn't push me to talk about what happened and the first I made a follow up appointment with. Last week he once again shied away from the real reason I was there and we spent time talking about my relationship with El and how it developed over the years as well as my relationship with Jasper. Before I realized it, my session was up and it was time to go home. After last night though I know I need to start really talking. I won't lose my family. I won't let these nightmares or these men take away what's most important to me.

"How have things been, Liam?" he asks tentatively.

I sigh and twist my lip, "last night… at dinner, El sort of confronted me."

"How so?"

"He just said he wants the old Liam back, the confident and happy me."

"Is that something you're capable of?"

I shrug. "I want to be," I say running my hands through my hair nervously.

"Well, that is definitely something we can work on," he says confidently.

I nod but don't say anything right away and then finally blurt out, "So, umm, this morning El and I had sex."

He grins, "Is that uncommon?"

I glance down again, "it used to be daily but, umm, we haven't in a long time."

"How long has it been since you two have been intimate?"

I roll my shoulders uncomfortably, "the last time was, umm, the day of," I pause before blowing out a breath. "We haven't had sex since the morning of the attack."

He doesn't say anything so I look at him and he is nodding reassuringly, "Would you like to talk about it?"

I look away from him and scrunch my eyes trying to decide if I want to talk about it. I know I need to. I told myself that I would but now that I have the opportunity I am hesitant. I sigh and run my hand through my hair.

"My son had a panic attack this morning." I say changing the subject.

"And how did you manage that?" he asks carefully, probably unsure where I am going with this new train of thought but letting me have some lee-way.

"The way we always do?" I say sighing again. When I turn back to him he gives me an arched brow so I continue. "We just talk to him, rub his back and place our hand on his heart. You know, to ground him. It works better when El and I do it together but umm, El was already gone."

He nods, "Do you know what led to it?"

I nod and frown as I once again look away from him, "he was upset."

"About?" he trails off wanting me to elaborate.

"He blames himself for what happened to us."

"Is he to blame?" he asks and now I turn to him. I can feel the heat already rising up my neck.

"Hell no! Why the hell would he be responsible? He was only eleven when it happened," I say standing up, my fists clenching at my side. "It was my fault!" I yell, starting to pace in the room, "I'm the one who insisted we walk. I'm the one that had to challenge them. I'm the one that couldn't protect my fucking family."

I drop my hands to my knees, breathing in deeply, trying to control my heart rate. Moments later I feel his hand on my shoulder. I swallow and step away from him, sitting back in my chair. He walks back to his chair and gently taps his fingers on his desk.

"Liam, why does your son think he's to blame?"

"We were supposed to go to the carnival earlier in the day but that morning El and I told him that for his birthday gift we were going to take him to Seattle to see his favorite singer," I close my eyes as my head lulls back. "He told us he wanted to go to the carnival at night instead so he could work on this song he was writing."

After a few minutes of silence he asks the million dollar question.

"What happened at the carnival?"

My brows furrow, "the carnival was perfect. We had a great time." I swallow thickly before looking directly at him. "It's what happened after the carnival that matters."

"Are you ready to tell me about it?"

I don't say anything for a long time and then finally feel my head nod.

* * *

**A/N… Awww, so there you have it. I hope you enjoyed getting inside Liam's head. I tried to meet the needs of everyone as best as I could. Most of you wanted to see some of his and El's beginning relationship while others wanted to see his parenting with Jasper so I hope you are all satisfied with the end result. I can't tell you how extremely pleased I have been with this story and the response to it. I loved these two so much in A Dry Heat and that love has only grown deeper. Thank you to everyone who followed along, shared stories with me, and fell in love with this beautiful family. I look forward to continuing their love story in the ADH sequel, A Bitter Cold, coming sometime in the Fall.**

**I am continuing to work on my next story, A Talionic Force, ATF for short and if all goes well I will begin posting it regularly beginning June 14****th****. A teaser is now up so that you can alert it.**

**A Talionic Force (www dot fancition dot net/s/9321254/1/A-Talionic-Force)**

**_An eye for an eye, that's the least they deserve! _Edward Masen's life was turned upside down by evil and hate but will his quest for vengeance prevent him from accepting peace and love when offered. Can Bella save him from himself or will it be another casualty of his war with the Volturi. A classic tale of passion and forgiveness in a world of brutality and murder.**


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